Unknown Origin
by Mekuda
Summary: It has always been a mystery pertaining to the identity of Link's parents. When the isolated hero sets out to find them, he discovers severe trouble brewing among the land of Hyrule. In order to reveal the whereabouts of his precious family, he will have to journey through extremities much to his dislike.
1. Longing for a Past

Chapter One: Longing for a Past

Uncontrollable flames consumed and ravaged the homes and businesses of a once lively Castle Town. Malicious monsters stampeded across the streets, knocking down the innocent and terrorized Hylians. The harmless citizens either hid or ran as fast as their frail legs could take them away from the vicious creatures that roamed the town. Dreadful screams and shrieks fled from their lungs and echoed to the skies as the wild massacre continued. Soldiers wearily battled off the enemies with their swords and spears, but even then it was not enough. These ferocious demons were too strong for them to handle. The people of Hyrule could only depend on two precious wielders of the Triforce to protect them in their time of need, but the endangered sanctuary was running out of time before it would fall into ruins entirely. They were desperate for an absolution.

Two brave soldiers stood at the North Gate of the town and hid behind a pillar for precaution. They were discussing an issue that only pertained to them. One of the soldiers peeked around his hiding spot and quickly ducked behind again when an unknown monster passed by. He looked back at his friend with fearful eyes and shook his head. "You don't understand. I can't take your boy. He needs _his_ father; _his_ mother." The man argued as he shoved the child back into the man's chest. This was Rusl, a soldier in training who had only been on the team for a few months before the terrible incident took its place.

His commander was a tall and built man whose face was covered by a silver helmet. He persisted and handed off the small bundled babe to his dear friend for the last time. "Please, the castle needs me and my wife to protect this sacred place. I can't take care of him right now," he breathed. His voice trembled as much as his body did inside of his armor. "Just promise me his protection until I get back, alright?"

The two locked eyes for what seemed like forever. They trusted each other with their life, and right now the commander was entrusting his child's soul with this small, feeble friend. Rusl's sigh shivered and he nodded, clutching the baby tight. The commander also nodded, and without a moment's notice he ran back into the courtyard in the direction towards Hyrule's crumbling castle. Rusl's heart jumped. "Wait! What will happen if you don't return?!" He cried as he paced forwards. "What do I do then?!" One of the once sturdy columns that held up the structure suddenly fell forward and blocked the path to the castle. The young man jumped back and lightly screamed over the child's whines. One by one, the pillars fell onto the pathway. It would be impossible to reach the falling kingdom at that point.

There was no use in wasting time. Rusl immediately spun around and mounted one of the nearby horses. He then raced through the monster-infested streets and made his way to the West gate where he would retreat back into his village. He felt useless and guilty; it was his moment to shine and rescue all of the Hylians, but instead he was fleeing back to his home with his best friend's child. It could not be helped, however. He already made the promise to protect the boy. Besides, it was not his duty to save Hylia; it was up to the saviors of the land to fulfill that prophecy.

Meanwhile, the commander came to a slow stop and came by his wife and took a hold of her fragile hand. They stood in the throne room where the fire and smoke rose to the ceilings. The small woman looked up at her husband with distress. Dirt and blood was painted on her soft cheeks and dress. "Is Link safe; in good hands?" She asked nervously followed by a cough.

The strong man lifted up the face of the helmet, which revealed his anguished expression. "I passed our beloved child onto Rusl where he will be taken care of in the depths of Ordon Village." He reassured with a firm smile and a grip of her palm. They gazed at each other in silence, only hoping that their boy would indeed be safe from harm.

They were the saviors of Hyrule, both marked on the back of their hands with the Triforce that beheld the powers of Courage and Wisdom. With great fear, the heroes took their stance in front of the Triforce of Power. They would fight for the freedom of the people of Hyrule, but more importantly for the safety of their child.

Their enemy bellowed a laugh and began to slowly make his way down the steps from the throne. "You honestly think that in this time of your wretched lives you can defeat I, Ganondorf Dragmire; the great King of Gerudo, the future ruler of Hyrule, the wielder of the Triforce of Power?" The wicked demon lifted his hand that was surrounded by a vibrant purple flame, different than the crimson flames that ate at the once proud town. He sneered at the two with utter doubt that they could even make their way to regain the prosperity of Hyrule. "I'll smother your blood across the road of Castle Town before I let you take away my well-deserved kingdom," he bellowed again, throwing his head back as he finally stopped at the bottom of the staircase. They were all silent again. The foe's maleficent smile transformed into a deep scowl once he realized the heroes were unmoved by his threats. "And mark my words, once I'm done with the two of you pathetic animals, I will hunt down your son and I will stack his worthless skull on the rest of the destruction I have inflicted."

This was the statement that infuriated the two. The guardians of Hyrule revealed their sword and their magic and came to a speeding dash towards their enemy, who smirked and made his way towards them as well.

History made its mark into the Scrolls of Time. The three day battle began with the forces of Good versus the forces of Evil. It would be a long talked-about fight resulting with good prevailing in the very end. Ganondorf would be locked up for a little less than two decades before he would break free again. The legends would be told for years and years to come until it would finally die out into just a tale.

* * *

"Hyah!" A strong voice yelled across the vast and green field.

Goats bobbled their heads as they staggered to flee from a rushing, wild horse that sped their way. They were stubborn, but quickly gave in to resistance due to the massive creature's strength and agility as the tamer came near. The gentle animals let out awkward little noises and stomped their feet as they entered the barn. Within a matter of minutes, the Ordon goats were neatly aligned inside their stalls and began to chew merrily at their prepared hay. Flies buzzed in their faces, but there was nothing they could do to avoid the trouble.

Fado, the owner of the ranch, marched inside the barn and patted his long-time pal on the back. "Well done, Link. You manage to make a new record every time," he complimented. The man awkwardly smiled. "I guess that should be expected from the hero of Hyrule."

Link blushed and nodded. Just about six months ago, he had redeemed Zelda's title as princess and saved Hyrule from utter destruction. It had been told that 17 years ago there was a man named Ganondorf who had destroyed the kingdom before, and Link had just recently saved the kingdom once again as predicted by the prophecy. Despite that the terror had ended six months ago, everyone still treated him with great respect, but it was odd; for the most of his life he had been treated just like another friend, rather than a brave hero. The return to his hometown was strange, but he made the best of it.

The setting sun began to bake the village in a sea of gold. The Hero of Hyrule strode on Epona's back through the village again where the villagers waved and enthusiastically greeted him. Link politely nodded and smiled at the people he had grown up with his whole life. They had always greeted him with joy, but now it was different. He was more of an idol than a pal. It made him uneasy.

An older looking man began to approach him. It was Rusl, Link's close friend and fatherly figure. He stopped and looked up at Link who was still mounted on the stallion. The character beamed a warm smile. "Colin and I were going to travel out to Faron Woods and try a little fishing. We were wondering if maybe you'd like to come and join us," the old man offered. "My son was also wondering if you'd give him some lessons in sword fighting." Rusl gazed at the horse and patted her, then suddenly sighed. "He doesn't want any lessons from me. He looks up to you greatly; always has." The old man sorrowfully chuckled. He looked up at Link as if waiting for an answer, who nodded in agreement to the idea. Rusl nodded as well and began to walk away from them again. "I'll find you when we begin to leave."

Link's eyes followed the man who respectably treated him like a friend and not a gallant hero. Rusl soon met up with his beloved son, wife and daughter. They were a beautiful little family, something that Link desired to have. Link's family would be kind to him, if he actually knew them; they wouldn't give him the upmost respect because he was a hero. They would treat him like family, like he always was. He never knew who his real parents were, but it was fine, he supposed. These benevolent people always welcomed him into his home, and he always accepted them as his family even though they weren't.

The hero made his way back to his tree house and dismounted his steed. He was absolutely exhausted from the dragging day. He was about to climb his ladder when a peculiar hand grabbed the back of his belt and pulled him back down again. His eyes met with Ilia's in the darkness, and he lightly smiled at her, but she did not return the friendly greeting. She was worried about his horse, as she always was. "Have you even glanced at Epona's side? She must have been bashed in the ribs by one of the goats' horns and you don't even care!" She growled. Traditionally, the moody girl swiftly turned her back to him and took hold of Epona's reins and began to lead the stallion to the Ordon Spring.

Link sighed, tired. He so desperately craved to sleep, but he decided to follow his childhood friend in case any danger struck them from behind like the last incident.

The horse shook its mane and neighed as she splashed her hooves in the spring. Ilia scooped up a handful of water and rubbed it on the animal's bruise. "Shh, it's alright, girl," the child soothed. She smiled and gently rubbed Epona's long face, then looked back at Link, who was lying on his back in the sand with his eyes closed. He had fallen into a deep sleep while his companions were accompanying each other. She tiptoed to the hero and stood over him, lightly smiling. He looked so peaceful after a long day of work. The girl came to a crouch, and then lied down on the small beach with her head on his chest. Ilia could hear him silently breathing. Her eyes came to a close. It had been so long since she had spent quality time with her friend. Her hand slid onto his stomach and she clutched at his clothes, beginning to fall asleep as well.

"Ilia," A sudden familiar voice cried, startling the two and waking them up. "Ilia, come back inside! You know it's dangerous out in the woods!"

They sat up and turned to see Mayor Bo waddling towards them at the fastest speed he could go. As expected from a parent, he was worried about his little girl being out so late at night. How long had they been asleep? Ilia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she immediately stood up and brushed the grain off of her clothes. "Papa, we're safe behind the gates! Nothing else bad is going to happen anyway with Link by my side!" She persisted.

Mayor Bo slowed to a stop and had to catch his breath before he spoke again; "You two were asleep. I could have snuck up on you and stabbed you both right in the stomach!"

Ilia bit at the inside of her cheek and looked back at her friend who just let out a tired yawn. She huffed. "Sorry for the trouble, Link. You know how parents are," she said with a smile. "Good night."

The small family began to make their way back to the village where they would sleep into their warm home again. Together.

Link stood alone in solitude. He had no idea how "parents were." The closest thing he had to parents were Rusl and Uli, who had voluntarily and kindly taken care of him since birth, as far as he knew. However, everyone else in the entire village treated him like their own child as well, or at least he thought so. Everyone was his parents, and that definitely wasn't normal. He knew nothing of his real parents. No one did, except for Rusl who would only briefly tell him something short of their past, but it wasn't anything big. "They loved you," was Rusl's main answer to every question.

The child let out a deep breath and came down onto his knees. He began to splash the cold water into his face to wake him from those awful thoughts. Whenever he came to think about those things late in the night, he wouldn't be able to sleep. Epona quietly approached him from behind and nudged his cheek with her snout. The hero chuckled and rubbed her nose, and he stood again and they made their way back to the tree house.

* * *

An affectionate arm grasped him around his small waste and lifted him up high. They began to throw him up and up again and again. The tiny Link giggled and clapped his small hands. He came down again, and this time the arms hugged him tight against their body. This person was warm and strong, but feeble like a woman. Another masculine character approached them and lovingly squished him between their two bodies. The tall figures chuckled as Link struggled to free himself from their passionate grasp. The woman moved away again and lifted Link high in the air. She stared into his cerulean eyes, but Link couldn't see back into the woman's face. It was blank. There was nothing there. She had no face. However, this didn't startle him. This was a familiar dream, and these were familiar people. He knew they were good creatures, although terribly strange, and in this dream nothing bad ever happened.

The man, who also lacked an expression, took hold of the boy now and set him on the floor. He stroked the child's hair and began to speak with a muffled voice. The sound and the words were unrecognizable, but they were soothing. The large figure now waved for someone else to come over. This was not part of the dream, as far as Link could recall. The stranger strode to the child's front side. It was an odd, cold man with a grimacing looking face. He clutched the child around the ribs and sneered at Link's loving friends. They also formed a wicked sneer on their faces. Something bad was about to happen, but the small child couldn't fathom it.

The young boy kicked his feet and cried as he desperately attempted to free himself from the scary man's grip, but it was no use; his little body was too weak. Link began to cry and call out to those loving characters, but they turned their backs to him and started to move away. Link wailed louder, but they would pay no attention to his cries. His petite hand reached out towards them as if it would help. Bitter tears slid down his cheeks as he watched what he thought could have been his family slowly disappearing. The man took a tight hold of Link and they too began to stride away. The two looked back one last time, this time with an expression of agony. The loving fatherly figure now spoke again, and Link clearly understood what he said; "You disappoint me."

Link shot up in his bed and had broken out in a sweat. His heart was pounding and his breathing had become extremely heavy. A nightmare. The frightened child tightly gripped his bed sheets with one hand and brushed his bangs back with the other. After witnessing the horrific nightmare, he did not even feel like sleeping anymore. Those were his parents. He knew it, or at least he had always assumed it. Yet, they had never been so icy to him before in his dreams. He began to ponder if that was why he had never met his parents, because they gave him away. He obviously must have disappointed them in some sort of way, according to the fatherly figure, but how? Link never recalled meeting them or being old enough to see them, so how could he possibly disappoint the two?

The hero shivered as he lifted his hand and strained to look at it in the black of the night. Could it have been his Triforce? Did it scare them or worry them? Did it bother them that he would bring destruction to his family? But he couldn't have; he saved all of Hyrule, but they didn't know that, and they would not ever. The hero glared at the mark on his hand for a long while before finally bringing it back down again. He flopped his head back onto his pillow and stared at the ceiling. A small bug took its time crawling so high on the wood. It looked content with its life.

* * *

The sun rose and glimmered brightly through the window. Link threw his pillow over his face. He had hardly slept the night before and only craved to sleep in, but that blasted sun was far too bright. With a grunt, he stubbornly rolled out of bed and started on his morning routine; eating, brushing, the usual. However, just as he had stripped down to enter into his makeshift bath tub, the door slammed open and Rusl barged into his house. The hero immediately turned red and hid behind some of his furniture. Rusl's face also flushed with embarrassment, and he instantly turned around. "Uhh … Colin and I are heading down now! Hurry," was all the grown man could spit before he quickly raced out of the house and slammed the door shut.

Link washed himself as fast as he could so no one else could intrude on him naked, and he speedily got dressed and rushed out the door. He would have to skip breakfast, since he already felt guilty about making his friends wait for so long. The hero slid down the ladder and came up behind his pals.

Rusl had his back turned to the house and held his eyes closed. He was silently snickering. "You all dressed this time?" The man asked. Colin stared at everyone in confusion but refused to comment. Link awkwardly chuckled in reply.

The three soon found themselves sitting on the bank of the Faron spring, and their fishing lines were sprawled into the water. Occasionally they would move, but nothing had really bitten them all day. In the midst of their silence, Rusl decided to bring forth a conversation. "You sure did sleep in late, Link. It was practically noon," the fatherly figure commented. He disregarded his fishing pole and shifted his eyes to look at Link. "What were you doing all night?"

They only remained in silence. Link now reflected back to his dream and thought deeply at what happened. The nightmare pained him, but as the night dragged on, he finally came to his own conclusion that they had never felt disappointed in him. Now that he was reminded of his heart-wrenching dream, the torment returned to him and he thought of his real family again. It was _actually_ possible that they didn't want him anymore and that's why he now held his place with Rusl. Link set the pole down and stood up, not wishing to reveal anything to Colin. He wouldn't understand anything, anyway.

Rusl stared at the boy with concern. He also got up and the two of them walked a little ways from the spring, and Link began to dump his dreams and nightmare on his fatherly figure, knowing he'd understand. Once finished with his spill, he demanded to know what happened to his parents; where they were, if they were still alive. Link's eyes became fierce. He stood tall and crossed his arms, now eyeing the man. It was almost amusing, but the hero had taken all seriousness into the situation and tried to best portray himself as threatening so he could finally get some answers.

The old man let out a deep, wistful sigh. He stared at the ground for a long while, wondering how he was about to tell everything. Rusl moved and sat atop a small rock and placed his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands in deep thought. "Link, your parents were strong and rightful people, and they loved you very much…"

Link glared at him, knowing where the story was going. He cleared his throat, throwing Rusl off track who only chuckled.

"Well then, let me tell you this!" Rusl shouted, coming up to a stand again and having to change things up a little. Link's arms dropped and Rusl pulled him close and threw his arm around the boy's shoulders. The man suddenly glared at the surroundings untrustingly and came into a whisper. "If you want to go around and find them, I'm not going to stop you, but they never once said they were disappointed in you. I'm absolutely positive that they're still somewhere in Hyrule! In fact, I'm sure Zelda would love to help you find them!" He now shoved the boy away in a childish manner and now stared at his friend intently. "They gave me to you during the time of the great war when Ganon first attacked… Your parents only wanted you to be safe, and they greatly succeeded. I'm sure they would have been tickled to see you perform all of these great things, and I know they'd be proud of you if they knew."

Link couldn't help but smile at Rusl. He wasn't even sure if his parents were alive or alright or if they even remembered their own son, but this man had lead the child on to believe so. Link nodded. He decided he'd begin packing right away. The hero left without another word and began to race back to his house, leaving the horse with the two. Rusl stared at the child run off, unsure of how to feel. Maybe he should have gone more into detail, but it was too late; Link had already made up his mind.

The hero rushed through the forest, went up his ladder and flew into his home. He immediately began to pack everything necessary into his satchel when his stomach suddenly growled. That's right. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday noon. The starved boy clutched his gut as it growled again, and this time he stood up from his messy floor- random items piled on his carpet. He danced over to his cabinet and swung the door open, only to find it empty. He supposed he had eaten the last thing yesterday. The boy threw on his satchel, sword and shield and decided to eat and then leave on to his adventure. With a huff, he marched to his door and slid down the ladder and made his way into the village to buy something from the store.

As soon as he dashed through the entry of the village, he slammed into Ilia who had been racing to his house. They both fell over backwards, and the girl seemed to have dropped a pie and a basket with other food supplies inside. She pouted and stared at the mess made. "I worked so hard to make that, Link!" She cried, standing up and not even bothering to clean up the food. Link stared at it and his stomach growled again. Various fruits had rolled out of the carrier, and Link was desperate for something to eat. He grabbed at a juicy, red apple and wiped it on his sleeve and bit right into it without another thought. Ilia stared at him in disgust but made no comment. Instead she plopped right back down next to him on the dirt. "I felt bad about last night, so I came to offer you something."

Link wasn't really paying attention. He was concentrating on his apple.

She, on the other hand, was concentrating on him. He wasn't dressed in his normal Ordon attire. He was in his green, legendary tunic again, and he was all prepared to go on some sort of adventure. She puffed out her cheeks. "Where do you plan on going?" She asked.

Link swallowed his apple piece and was just about to reply when a large hand patted him on the back, knocking the rest of his fruit from his grip. "He's going off on an adventure!" Rusl interrupted with a large grin. "He's been having trouble lately and just needs some time away for a while."

"Trouble?" Ilia questioned as she narrowed her eyes. She stood up and placed her hands on her hips, knowing exactly what was going on. "It's because I freaked you out last night! Because my papa scared you, huh?! I can go have a word with him right now, if that's what you'd like!"

A bead of sweat fell down both Link and Rusl's head; that was definitely not the case. Link now stood up and scratched the back of his neck, not sure how to explain anything to her. Rusl rubbed his chin. "My boy is just having trouble, and that's all you need to know for now. He has nothing that you need to be concerned about."

Ilia scrunched her nose. Her gaze shifted from Rusl's playing innocent eyes to Link's confused expression. She nodded and crossed her arms. "Err- I'm going to tag along anyway. Someone has to watch over Epona after all." She waited in silence for them to reply, but the boys said nothing as they awkwardly starred at the ground. Ilia rubbed her arm and also stared at the dirt, feeling unwanted. "Well, I guess I could just stay here." She lightly chuckled. "I'd be too scared to leave anyway." She turned and trudged back to her house, not bothering to turn back.

Link longingly watched her take each heavy step. Rusl roughly patted him on the back once more and smiled. "It's quite alright. Just leave tonight; it'll be less of a bother." He said. The old man left Link who also fled back into his home.

Colin, who had been silently watching from behind, snuck around and made his way to Mayor Bo and Ilia's house. He had all of this information now, and felt it would only be fair if Ilia knew.

* * *

**I chose not to let Link speak through this story considering he most often never speaks in his games. It only seemed more natural for him to remain silent. Next chapter will be so much more exciting. Promise!**


	2. Minor Injury

Chapter Two: Minor Injury

Dusk had fallen upon the sky once more. Link grabbed all of his things and threw them on his back. In the dark of the night, he quietly exited his home and made his way down the ladder. Epona was waiting patiently by the grass, and Link threw himself on her back. He gently pulled on the reins and turned his horse around, and he was now walking through the forest again. There was no rush, so Link didn't force Epona into a run. They quietly strolled through the trees in silence and in harmony. Slumbering birds silently chirped; the water from the Odron spring quietly trickled. All was peaceful.

Link stretched his arms out and yawned. He hardly gathered a wink of sleep the night before and was hardly about to gain any sleep that night as well. He rubbed his eye and huffed. Maybe it was best that he slept far off in the woods of Faron so that way his friends wouldn't find him. Yeah, that seemed like a wonderful idea.

Suddenly, the sound of a twig breaking erupted from behind. Epona stopped. Link unsheathed his sword and turned his body back to look at what could have caused the disturbance. He had only reached the bridge and there was already trouble brewing. He stared for a while and waited for something to pop up, but nothing was there. Slightly confused, the hero slid his blade back into its scabbard once more and started off again. The horse now moved at a slight trot, so whatever was following would have to work a little harder to keep up.

The travelers now reached the Faron Spring where Link would spend the night. He dismounted the stallion and sat on the sand with his legs crossed. He was unbearably tired, but felt too uneasy to sleep. He couldn't comprehend what could have possibly been following him, or if anything was actually following him at all. The hero stretched out his arms and fell onto the sand. If anything snuck up on them, his loyal stallion was sure to wake him from his rest. His eyes had just come to a close when he suddenly heard a light growl. The hero shot up from his sleep and came to his feet with his sword and shield held tightly in his hands.

Oddly enough, a small pack of stalhounds had risen from the dead and surrounded the hero and his loyal horse, which was neighing frantically. Link eyed the creatures. It was definitely strange for them to come so near into the woods, rather than their normal spot in Hyrule field. Link wondered what they were doing so close, but he didn't have time to think when one of the deceased dogs made a jump towards him. The hero slashed his sword at the threat, and quickly spun around to bash another one in the face with his shield. They both easily fell into a pile of bones. Link sped towards the water and made another swing for the enemy and knocked its head off, sending it flying into the depths of the water of the spring. Another one slowly approached him from behind, but before it could even think to strike, Epona ran to it and stomped on its bones with her heavy hooves. The hero turned and smiled at his trustworthy horse. They were a good team.

A piercing scream suddenly filled the air. It sounded extremely close to their area. The hero instinctively ran in the direction of the cry to aid whoever was in need only to find Ilia cowering up in a small tree; Ilia, who had been sneaking behind him the entire time. Several stalhounds were barking and thrashing at the bark in attempt to reach the small girl. She scooted higher into the branches as one of them jumped for her legs.

Link narrowed his eyes. What gave her the right to follow? The haughty hero stubbornly crossed his harms and stood up straight. He wondered whether he should let her suffer in fear as punishment or quickly end the conflict. Maybe if she was scared well out of her wits, she would want to turn around and go home, learning her lesson. Ilia stared down at Link with utter apprehension and tightly gripped onto the branch. "Link, please save me!"

Her shrieks dug into Link's good-natured heart, knowing he couldn't let her suffer. He began to tenaciously stride towards the boney figures. The animals drew their attention away from Ilia and they turned to face Link now. Their backs were arched as they slowly crawled towards the foe. Link positioned himself to engage in the battle. In one motion the stalhounds all leaped at the deadly hero and bore their fangs, but the hero easily swung around and sliced all of their skulls without a fight. Their bones instantly hit the ground with a thud. It was a quick victory, as usual.

Link made his way to the tree and lifted a hand to help the defenseless girl down, but Ilia was paying no mind to it. She was still reflecting on the terrible violence she just witnessed. It was strange to see her innocent childhood friend easily jump into battle and massacre all of those dogs. She always viewed him as kind. Yes, he had taken down many people in the past to protect the land of Hyrule, but it was much more horrifying to watch it with her own eyes. Link suddenly called to her, snapping Ilia out of her thoughts. She looked down at his glistening blue eyes and felt comforted again. He wasn't a crazed killer. He was just a savior; a hero. Just as she was about to take his hand, she screamed again, noticing something unbearable behind him.

Link turned to see an uncanny, overly large stalhound behind him. It had slightly more flesh on its bones than the other dogs. Link stared at it, and it stared at him with its glowing red eyes. The demon growled. It made a dash for the hero, who ditched his friend in the tree and rolled out of the way. It came rushing for him, but Link could only think to run in the moment instead of defend. It was so large and massive, and its teeth were roughly pointed and jagged. He wasn't ready to place a fight with it, but he couldn't keep running forever. The hero ran back to the spring and splashed around in it. The stalhound came rushing behind. It jumped at Link who immediately rolled out of the way again. One of its claws was sent flying forward. Link blocked the attack with his shield, but was thrown down due to the weight of paw. The creature now stood over the fallen prey and thrashed its teeth. Link held the demon back with his shield and kicked at its loose ribs. It was heavy and hard to break but one of the ribs fell and hit the ground.

This didn't stop the animal. It jumped on its hind legs and came crashing down again, but Link swiftly rolled out of the way before he could get crushed. He hastily snatched a bomb from his pouch and stuck it inside the hollow enemy where the rib was missing. Now all he could do was outrun the creature and hope the bomb wouldn't explode while he was still around. Link made a dash towards the trees with the stalhound trailing behind. He could hear Ilia constantly screaming as he scrambled up on one of the trees. He then brought out his bow and arrow and aimed it at the speeding enemy. Before it could reach Link's potential sanctuary, the arrow was thrust into the bomb. In an immediate reaction, the stalhound exploded and its bones flew every which way, busting against trees and sliding across the dirt. Smoke dissipated and revealed the scattered corpse across the ground. It was over.

Link breathed a deep sigh of relief. He turned to look at Ilia, who was carefully making her way down her tree. He eyed her, now completely disregarding the stalhound attack, and wondered what her reasons were for following him into these dangerous grounds. The Hylian slid from his spot and landed firmly on his feet. The two friends made their way towards each other with Ilia immediately throwing her trembling arms around his neck. "I'm sorry! I was following and those strange things appeared and I didn't know what else to do but scream! I'm sorry I put you in danger!" She sobbed, squeezing him tightly.

Link could feel himself blushing. He gently rubbed her back to comfort her before she finally let go of him. Ilia now looked at Epona and scanned her from the distance. The girl took off towards the horse and started to search the horse over for injuries. Link chuckled and slowly followed behind. It was always expected of her to hold high concerns for the steed. He sat down right in front of the bank again and lied down, wishing for some rest. Unfortunately his wishes wouldn't be granted, for Ilia yelled again. "Epona has a giant gash in her leg! Those strange dogs must have bit her!" She began to lead the wounded horse into the spring and wash off some of the blood. She then turned back to Link again and puffed out her cheeks. "You're not going to do anything for your loyal horse?"

The weary hero sighed and forced himself up again. He only craved a wink of sleep. Link pulled out a jar of red potion that he was going to save for later just in case. He also took out a rag scrap so he could tie the wound away. However, when he took a look at his horse he was surprised to see that Epona was hardly hurt at all! She held a minor scrape on her front leg that Ilia had gone crazy about. Still, it was his horse and he cared about her. Link poured some of the potion on his stallion's wound and wrapped it up tightly. Epona slightly moved her leg and reared back her head. She would heal up in no time.

Ilia smiled contently at the two. Link went back over to the shore and sat down, and Ilia joined him. The hero began to feel uneasy. He was incredibly irritated with her at the moment after he had already implied for her not to come; and look at what happened to the girl. She was almost killed. _He_ was almost killed.

Ilia could feel the tension between the two of them. She shifted a little. "I wanted to help you on your quest, and I'm not going back home," she started. "It's not fair that you get to explore and do all of these things and I'm stuck in the village." She suddenly lifted her satchel and exposed what was inside. "Besides, I can carry extra supplies for you! I'll even carry your stuff! I promise I won't be as much trouble as I was with those dogs!" She protested. Link began to ignore her and stood up, causing Ilia to slightly panic. "You can teach me how to fight on your journey! I'm good with a slingshot! Oh, please, Link!" She rolled onto her stomach and clung onto his ankle. "I have food inside my bag! And money! I'll buy everything for you!"

Link looked down at her. His stomach growled again. He had only partially eaten an apple earlier and was far from full. Ilia smiled up at him. She knew she was allowed to stay by that point, as long as she fed him. The girl staggered to her knees and pulled some bread from her pouch. She then handed it up to him and he scarfed it down like a pig. Ilia giggled. The hero was still slightly bothered by her, so he went away and lied down in a patch of grass away from her where he would sleep. Ilia also lied down where she was and began to fall into a slumber. All that mattered was that they were going on an adventure together, and it would start in the morning.

* * *

Link's eyes slowly opened, and the heat of the sun forced his eyes shut again. He sat up and stretched. The floor wasn't as comfortable as he remembered; he had gotten used to sleeping in a comfortable bed for six months. The hero drowsily turned to look at Epona, who was merrily grazing on the grass, and Ilia was … playing with Link's slingshot. He sighed and forced his tired and sore body up and made his way to the girl. She was aiming for something that Link was unsure of, but by the sound of Ilia's tone she was missing. She heard Link's footsteps and brought down the weapon. "I was aiming for that sausage-looking plant, but I keep missing." She said with disappointment.

Link's eyes traced the typha latifolia. He threw his arms around Ilia's body and aimed the slingshot at the plant. He then positioned her hands so she would hold it correctly and pulled back on the string and released the nut, hitting the plant square on. It burst into tiny pieces. Ilia wasn't even paying attention to Link's instructions as he spoke to her. She felt herself blushing the way his masculine body was against hers. He was strong, yet gentle. His smooth voice danced in her ears, and she couldn't think clearly. Link finally let her go and told her to try, who suddenly snapped out of her thoughts. She stared at the slingshot a moment and then at the plant. Ilia then aimed the weapon at the typha latifolia and closed one eye for a better shot. The nut was pulled back, and it thrust forward and barely scraped the edge of the plant, slightly moving it.

Link smiled. She had gotten awfully close to hitting. With practice, she would improve. The hero turned and climbed atop his horse. It was time to leave the forest and head out to Hyrule field. He held his hand out for Ilia to take a hold of and he lifted her onto the stallion behind him. They then began to travel out of Faron woods, but were first stopped by Coro, the lantern salesman. "Hey, guy!" He called familiarly. Coro normally never left his seat, but this time he ran up to Link's horse. "You're not going out there, are you? A whole bunch of creepy, crawly monsters have been sneaking around again lately! It's weird! I thought they were all gone!"

Link exchanged looks with Ilia, who roughly patted on her friend's shoulder. "There's nothing that Link can't handle! He's a big-time hero, after all!" She cheered.

Coro scratched at his afro and shook his head. The bird that was just recently perched on top of him chirped and flew away. "Yeah, but things are different. It was probably only about three weeks before they started showing up again. Don't know what happened, but you guys better be careful." Coro warned. He handed a bottle of lantern oil up to his friend. "It's on the house. Take care of your lady, will ya?" He strolled back to his stump and stared at the fire before anyone could say another word to him.

Link anxiously gripped onto the leather reins. He was most certain he'd have to be extremely careful now that he had a second passenger _and_ that there were monsters about. He was so used to defending for himself, but now he had to keep a sharp eye out for his partner. It would be a difficult journey with creatures roaming about, but Link would have to manage. He whipped the reins and Epona started off again, and they exited the Faron woods.

The three walked out onto the grass of Hyrule field and took in the breathtaking nature that was held within it. The sun glimmered beautifully on the land and the trees and the water and the hideous creatures that roamed about. Coro was right; the place was oddly flooded with them. Link's eyes narrowed as he scanned the field from left to right. Kargaroks soared through the windless air, taking place of the normal birds. Bomskits sped across the field and spat out bombs with every quick step they took. Deku babas thrashed their teeth at whatever little thing neared them. Blue and pink bokoblins mindlessly slashed and chased at each other. Why there were so many enemies baffled Link; he thought that the majority of them had disappeared after Ganondorf's loss. The hero cautiously coaxed Epona to move forward, but the horse cried as a bokoblin started to quickly approach them from far out in the distance. Ilia now gripped onto Link with fear. Link smirked. He whipped out his bow and arrow from his pouch and aimed carefully at the creature, then shot a speeding arrow right through its head.

Link kicked at his steed's sides and Epona started into a strong gallop. He pulled at the reins, making the stallion constantly turn and dodge all of the incoming monsters that swung their weapons at the trio. Ilia suddenly took out her slingshot and started thwacking at the foes, but it only momentarily dazed them. Link whipped the reins again, speeding the horse up. He was heading for the South gate of Hyrule castle, the quickest route into Castle Town. Link could clearly see where the path was from his location, but there seemed to be something blocking it. The three came to a quick halt in front of the pathway that would lead them to the next field, but there was a giant boulder standing in its way. The Hylian guards must have blocked the path so that the monsters couldn't intrude.

The hero's anxiety rose as he gazed at the tall bolder, unknowing of what to do now with the monsters speedily coming their way. He jerked his head to see a bokoblin racing towards them, followed by another bokoblin, and another, and another. There were so many cornering them. Without another thought, Link passed his bow and arrow to Ilia to shoot with and he jumped off the horse and drew his sword and shield and started heartlessly slashing at all of the incoming monsters. He had to do whatever it took to protect his friends. The foes cried in pain once struck by the blade, but they kept on attacking. They were much stronger than how they were before.

Link slid his sword into the bottom of a bokoblin's skull and it immediately fell to the ground. Another creature swung at him but Link swiftly spun out of the way and slashed the enemy on the back, but it didn't fall. It went to swing at the hero again but he blocked it with his shield and struck the threat in the chest. But his sword became stuck in the dead creature's body. Link frantically yanked at the weapon, but it wouldn't budge. Another bokoblin raised its weapon up high and struck down at Link, but an arrow pierced its arm before it managed to hit the defenseless Hylian. Another arrow became stuck into its skull and it fell back. Ilia hastily shot arrows wherever an enemy came near her friend, only hitting the fiends half of the time. All of a sudden, kargaroks started swooping down in their direction. The frightened girl let loose on the dangerous birds, but they were too quick for her to hit; she missed every shot. Bokoblins also started beating and climbing up the stallion and pulled on Ilia's legs. She began to scream as she hit them as hard as she could with her fists.

Link finally unsheathed his sword. He looked back, surprised to see the enemies crawling up his partners. The hero took a powerful stance, swung around in a big circle, and sliced all of the enemies through their backs, letting them fall dead on the ground. Kargaroks started pecking and clawing at the trio, but Link managed to slash through their stomachs and cut off some of their legs, but they wouldn't stop swarming. He snatched the bow and arrow from Ilia's trembling grip and easily shot all of the enemies in their wings, sending them crashing onto the dirt. He could see quite a few more enemies approaching from the distance. It was already difficult enough to defeat the enemies they had just faced, so he decided to flee instead of facing the rest of the incoming crowd. Link mounted Epona once more. Without further instruction, the stallion bolted from the gate and sped out into the field.

Kargaroks chased them at full speed. Link had to awkwardly turn around to shoot at the diving birds, which would make it harder to take them down. His heart was beating at a rapid pace. It would have been different if he was alone, but having to fight while protecting his friend deemed far more difficult than imagined. He would have liked to search her for any minor injuries, but he had to keep his eyes on his enemies. One of the kargaroks crowed and swooped down, and he quickly thrust an arrow into its wing. It cried in pain and fell. Unfortunately, it landed against the back of the stallion, knocking Ilia off.

Her hand reached forward to grab at something so she wouldn't fall but all that she managed to snatch was air. She went tumbling down on the grass, dirt flying everywhere. Ilia coughed and quickly stood up. There were a few cuts and scrapes on her legs, but nothing big. Ilia began to panic. She was out in the middle of the battleground with numerous other monsters and they _knew _she was there. Ilia turned a full circle to see several bokoblins trucking towards her. They were drooling and wildly slugging their bats around. Ilia froze. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't bring herself to run away. She tried to call out Link's name, but all she could force was a whisper. She was scared out of her right mind. She could only watch the ferocious bokoblins come for her.

Just then, Link realized his companion was off of his horse. He gasped. The hero quickly had Epona come to a stop and he jerked his head every which way to see where she had gone. There Ilia was, standing out in the middle of the field unmoved with a crowd of dangerous creatures speeding towards her. "Hyah!" He cried as he spun his stallion around. The horse moved its muscles as fast as she could. They were heading straight for Ilia. Epona moved faster and faster until she slammed into all of the monsters, knocking them down and out of the way. They passed Ilia by and Link grabbed her across the waste and threw her onto his lap. He had his arms around her and held onto the horse's reins. They raced away from all of the creatures and went into the next field.

Monsters crowded that area, too. There didn't seem to be a safe place for them to stop. Ilia tightly clung onto the front of Link's shirt. "Link! Take me back home, please! I'm sorry I ever tagged along! This is just more than I can handle!"

Link took a deep breath through his nose. He wasn't about to turn around and head back, especially after she had begged to come along. Instead he decided to quickly make his way to Kakariko village and drop her off there. They would easily get her a ride home. However, the gate was high and locked, which meant someone had blocked that entrance as well. Link let out a deep sigh, now more irritated than worried by the situation. Bokoblins began to crowd around them, but Link wasn't about to put up with their actions.

He turned Epona around and ran her to the back of the field. He was going to jump the fence, despite the height. Epona turned to look at the fence again. She dug her hoof into the ground, waiting for instructions. Link gripped tightly onto the reins again and whipped them. Epona shot off, and all of the incoming enemies jumped to get out of the speeding horse's way. The rushing wind blew their hair back, and Link had to hold his hat down. The moment of truth arrived as if in slow motion; the stallion curved downwards and then thrust all of her body weight over the fence. Enemies below her attempted to swing at her stomach with their clubs but failed miserably. Epona was just barely gliding over the top of the gate. Her hooves slammed onto the dirt road that lead them to their safety. They made it. They were finally safe inside the gates of Kakariko village.

They now quietly walked from one side of the village to the other side in order to get to the spring. Ilia slid off of Link's lap and gently landed on her feet. She was shaking, but also looked slightly annoyed. "You're not going to take me back to Ordon?" She winced as she looked up into the eyes of her friend who was still on his horse. She felt agonized when Link avoided eye contact with her and coyly rubbed the back of his neck. Ilia frowned. "You can't leave me here. What if those monsters come inside of this place?!" She waited for Link to reply, but there was no answer. She pouted and turned to tend to her wounds, which was hardly anything at all. The girl frustratingly splashed some of the water on her legs. She should have never gone on that adventure, and it was only the beginning.

Link felt himself blow up with guilt, but he wanted to find his parents more than ever now that the creatures had returned. Anything could have happened to his mother and father in the past three weeks- the past several years. He had to get to them as quick as possible. Leaving Ilia behind was such a better option. Her constant nagging made it hard for Link concentrate on his thoughts. His eyes watched Ilia clean herself and he felt it would be a good idea to wash some of the blood off of him and his horse, and maybe get those terrible thoughts out of his mind. Link started to climb down from his horse and firmly planted his feet on the dirt, but as soon as he touched the soil an intense jolt of pain scurried up his leg. The hero immediately collapsed to the ground being unable to stand and gasped at what he looked to see. There was a huge gash in his leg. Something must have struck him, but he didn't realize it until that moment; the adrenaline must have finally worn off. Link carefully attempted to stand again, clawing at his horse's saddle, but he only fell back down. He desperately clasped onto his leg to stop the blood rush. It was pouring all over his hands and onto the dirt and had already stained the rest of his clothes. He fearfully moved his palms away and looked at all the red splattered on his gloves. His eyes widened.

"You better make sure Epona is feeling healthy too or else you're not going to get very far at all!" Ilia huffed, marking the end of her rage. She looked back to scowl at him, but her facial expression quickly turned into concern when she saw the hideous gash on Link's leg. "Oh, Link! Wha- How- You're hurt!" She couldn't even think properly to spit out anything intelligible. She rushed down to his side and heavily placed her hands on the wound to help stop the blood, but Link cried in pain, causing her to quickly let go. "Renado! I'll go get him and he'll fix you right up! You'll be okay!" She shouted in panic as she quickly stumbled to the depths of the village.

The injury wasn't as excruciating as Ilia thought it was. Link could still stand the pain, but it was growing to be awfully bothersome. It was a wound and he had gotten many in the past. However, he needed to seal the wound fast or else he would possibly bleed to death. He quickly searched his satchel for a red potion, but realized he had already given it to Epona. His eyebrows creased in frustration. He couldn't even tie the gouge up for he had already wrapped it around his horse's leg, but the rag had flown off a while ago. Not knowing what else to do, Link tensely pushed on his wound, no matter the pain. He couldn't afford for it to bleed. His breaths began to grow heavy. He gritted his teeth and turned his head so he wouldn't have to look at the awful scene anymore.

"Hey!" A voice called from the distance. Link jerked his head up to see Barnes, Kakariko's bomb mechanic. He was awkwardly rushing straight towards the injured hero with Ilia trailing closely behind. Renado was nowhere to be found.


	3. The Shadow Beasts Have Returned

Chapter Three: The Shadow Beasts Have Returned

Barnes had to drag the heavy hero into the stone house. He gently set Link's back against the giant eagle in the center of the room. The hero winced in pain and grabbed at his wound. The mechanic bit at his nails in an agitated manner and backed away to get a better look at the gruesome cut. "Boy, you guys sure have gotten yourselves into some trouble!"

Ilia folded her arms and moved to stand powerfully in front of the man, although she was rather short compared to him. "Where's Renado?! And Luda, his daughter?! They would be able to easily treat his wound up!" She huffed, glaring him in the eyes.

Barnes threw down his welding helmet over his face and cowered away from her. "They ran off to Death Mountain for supplies!" He whimpered as he backed himself up to the window. "You've seen those scary monsters outside the village! We can't afford to go to Castle Town and get hurt!"

"When are they coming back?!"

"Tomorrow, maybe. A week? I'm not sure," Barnes sighed. He commonly looked out the window and turned back to Ilia again. His eyes then traced over to Link's threatening wounds and he gagged. "Will he be okay for a couple of days until they show up again?"

Ilia groaned at his idiocy and turned back to kneel down by Link's side.

By that point, the pain had become extremely intense. Link had never felt so weak before; he was always able to heal himself up with a potion or a fairy. The wise hero never let his injuries become so excruciating, but he had wasted his bottle on a small scratch on his horse. How thoughtless. Link looked up at Ilia with weary eyes and lightly smiled as if trying to assure her that he would be fine for a while, even though it wasn't so. However, his attempted peace soon turned into a grimace of dismay as he applied the pressure on his leg once more. An extended trail of blood followed him inside the building from where everyone had first discovered the injury outside. He had bled so much in so little time.

Ilia frowned and her eyebrows creased into worry for her friend. She shot back up again and faced Barnes once more. "Why aren't we in the nursing house where he can sit in a comfortable bed? I know where the medicine is inside of there; I'll patch him up mysel-"

"Noooo!" Barnes screamed as he rushed to her and placed a quick hand over her mouth. "There's a teeerrible monster in there! We luckily trapped it inside and we won't dare open those doors again! It'll rip our guts out!" He moved away from her again and nervously jerked his head all around. "It's been in there for days, probably eating whatever food was left in there, that lucky scoundrel. We'll just have to wait for Renado and Luda to come back with whatever supplies they bring."

Ilia clenched her fists. She was growing tired of Barnes' cowardice. "No time! Link'll die of blood loss or an infection if we don't deliver the proper treatment! I'll go in there and retrieve the medicine myself!" She growled as she shoved him aside to make her way to the door.

Barnes stood in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. "Nonono! You caaan't! You'll let that thing free and it'll tear up the village!"

Link silently watched them from his spot. All he could think of was the pain and knew he had to get it healed up as quickly as possible. He could handle a monster if there was only one, even with his injury. Link forced himself up and leaned heavily on the statue for support. It hurt immensely to stand on his leg, but he was more focused on retrieving the medicine than the value of his pain.

Ilia saw this and shook her head. "No, Link!" She commanded as she approached him. "You need to rest. You're going to work yourself over too hard!" Link ignored her complaints and moved from the post, now making his way to the door with difficulty while using his sword as a walking cane. Ilia bit her lip. She stomped her feet as she marched in front of the stubborn boy. "You listen to me, _hero_! I'll get your items! You stay right here! You're too weak to get that medicine!" She shouted. Link wouldn't listen. He began to pass around her, completely focused on his goal. "Stop! Listen to me! You're hurt!"

Link blocked out her cries and watched the door. All he saw was the exit. He could take on the monster himself. It would be a piece of cake. All of a sudden, Link felt an intense impact on the back of his head and he immediately fell to the floor unconscious.

Barnes gripped tightly onto a wooden bat as he stood over the hero's still body. "Oh dear…" He whispered.

Ilia stared at him with wide eyes. "What, did, you, do?!" She cried as she ran to her limp friend's side. She rolled him over onto his back and laid his head on her lap and brushed his soft bangs from his face.

"Y-Y-You told him n-not to go! You said you'd get his stuff!" Barnes shuttered, backing away from them completely. "I was just helping out!"

Ilia let out a loud and obvious grunt. She gently set Link's head down on the slab and stood up again. She then raced to Barnes and snatched the bat out of his grip. "Slow down Link's bleeding! I'm getting that medicine!" She announced. The determined child marched out of the safe house without another word or care of Barnes' warnings.

Ilia's legs trembled tremendously as she slowly approached the nursing house. Now that she was coming closer, she craved to have a hold of Link's blade and shield for better protection, but they were too heavy for her. She snuck up close to the house and went to look inside, but the windows were boarded up. Ilia held her breath. It would have been easier to know what she was facing; she didn't even think to ask of its size. Ilia slid closer to the door and could hear a light hissing from the other side. Her chest jumped and her heart began to race. The frightened girl gripped tightly onto her weapon. She couldn't believe she was about to go in there and face danger _by herself_.

Ilia took a firm hold of the doorknob and stared at it. Short, silent breaths slipped her lips as she slowly turned the knob. The hiss grew stronger from the other side. Ilia clenched her eyes shut. She threw the door open and began to whack the bat on whatever was on the other side. It wildly hissed and let out strange screams of pain. Ilia didn't stop as she beat violently on it. The adrenaline was more than she could stand. The frantic girl squealed and dashed back outside and slammed the door close again. Horrific hisses and scratches came from the other side. She could feel it crashing its body against the door.

Ilia was now confident that she could defeat this creature, after having a short and successful run just moments ago. She held her eyes open this time as she threw the door open once more, only to find an enormous lizard staring and growling at her. She screamed and shut the door again, extremely dismayed now that she knew what she was up against. Her imagination seemed so much less scary. "Oh, Link! Why can't you just do this for me?!" Ilia winced. She then reflected on Link's injuries. He was slowly dying, and he greatly depended on her to defeat this one measly monster. Link had battled creatures far worse than this, and many of them at a time. And she was worrying over a single lizard.

Ilia took a deep breath. She grasped the door knob for the last time and flew the door open. Before the reptile could pounce at her, Ilia threw a mighty swing and smashed the lizard right in the face. She heard its neck crack and it fell to the floor in an instant. Ilia dropped her weapon and cupped her hands over her mouth. That was horrific. It was far different than from shooting arrows into her enemies from a distance, but breaking bones was just hideous. She stared at the mangled enemy as she slowly moved her way around it. The girl then rushed into the room behind the counter and fled to the shelves, throwing whatever bottles she could into her arms. She had four jars of red potion, a weird purple potion, and a couple long bandages. She also carried some sewing material to stitch up his wounds.

The girl excitedly ran out of the building, not even bothering to shut the door. As scary as that experience was, it was also exhilarating! She couldn't wait for Link to wake up so she could tell him all about it.

Barnes quickly ran out of the safe house and watched her. "Did you kill it?!"

She stopped in front of him while jumping and nodded, unable to control her excitement. "That lizard thing was so easy to beat! I can't believe you couldn't do it!" She cheered.

Barnes lifted his mask and glared at her. "Th… the _dodongo_?" He whispered. Ilia stopped bouncing, now concerned. Barnes' eyes began to swell up with tears and he fell onto his knees, then his face, and clasped onto her ankles. "That was my _pet_! And you _killed_ him! You killed my poor baby!" He wailed. He began to breathe heavy and sniff and snort and snot all over the ground. "He was trapped inside and now he's _deaaad_!"

Ilia stared down at him awkwardly, unsure of how to comfort him. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't know!" She protested, lightly throwing him off of her ankles. "You shouldn't have trapped your pet inside there anyway!"

"The monster!" Barnes shouted, "You didn't kill the monster!" He shot up to his feet and reared his head all around to see where it might be. He then looked past her and wildly moaned. "You left the door open! Oh, yikes! It could be anywhere by now! _Anywhere!_" He began to scurry back into the safe house without another thought.

"How can there be another monster?!" Ilia cried. There was a sudden scream behind her; a familiar scream. She rapidly turned around to look at what was behind her. There stood a large, black, human-like figure. It had strange black markings on it, and a red symbol glimmered brightly on its chest. Unsightly tentacles flailed from behind the mask it wore as it watched its prey stand unmoved. Ilia recognized it, for she had seen these when she had saved Ralis, the prince of the zoras. The creature let out another abominable roar, and Ilia booked it for the safe house, knowing she didn't stand a chance. It screeched and she shrieked as it chased her towards the sanctuary.

Barnes beckoned his hand worriedly as she leaped through the door. The mechanic slammed it shut and the creature slammed into it with a deep thud. "Hurry!" He called as he opened the basement doors. The monster tried to force its way through one of the windows, but its mask was too big to fit through. Barnes tossed Link over his shoulder with renewed strength and hastily slid down the ladder. Ilia threw the potions in her pouch and climbed down the ladder above him as well. The safe doors closed before they even reached the bottom to the narrow hallway.

Barnes nimbly moved into an open area of the basement and set the half-conscious hero down on the floor. "Oh, boy! Oh, boy! Renado is going to have a lot of trouble getting back!" The mechanic cried. He started to bite his nails as he traditionally retreated to a corner of the room.

Ilia fell to her knees and immediately started tending to Link. She wiped away the blood with a rag as neatly as she could and poured the red potion on his gash. She then began to carefully move the needle and thread through his wound. Link silently winced at the pain even in his slumber state. "Shh, it's alright, Link," Ilia soothed, lightly smiling. She was proud with herself and all that she had done for him. He would be proud of her too. She finally finished tying on the bandage and moved closer to his front now. Ilia lied down on her side and stared at his sleepy face. He looked like he was in a lot of pain, but it would die down soon.

Link's eyes slowly came open. Everything was blurry. His head was pounding and his leg was pulsing. He couldn't tell if he was actually awake. The hero blinked and forced himself to a sitting position. His head dropped into his hands, wondering what happened and why his head was throbbing. A petit hand tenderly rubbed his back, and he slowly shifted his gaze to see who it was. It was Ilia; she sat next to him and held an angelic smile. Link narrowed his eyes. His vision was beginning to clearly return to him. They were in a strange room with cinderblock walls, however he recognized the room. They were in the Kakariko safe house basement; his memories were now returning to him. He wasn't sure how he got into the basement, exactly, but maybe it was best he didn't know.

Ilia grinned and spilled everything to Link; the dodongo, the stitching. She dumped every bit in a giggle, and Link intently listened to her. He couldn't help but smile with the girl. She risked her life for him, even if it was only a small job. That meant so much to him. She finished her story and Link let out a huge sigh of relief, amazed at what she had done. It made his stomach sick that she put herself in danger; she could have died or been just as hurt as he was, but she wasn't. She was perfectly fine. Most of all, he was extremely pleased to hear how guilty she felt about killing the creature. That meant she was still innocent, like him. Link stared at her, unsure of how to thank her for her kindness and bravery. In one quick movement, he brought her into a hug, and she turned to fall into a sitting position on his lap. Despite the pain in his leg from her weight, he wouldn't let go of her. It filled him with delight to know she was safe and still alive in her arms.

The girl hugged him too, more affectionate than he was. She buried her face in his shoulder and smiled. The experience was thrilling and she would do it for him all over again.

"You left out the part about the black thing," Barnes added from his corner, slightly jealous of their moment. "It almost killed us!"

Link shoved back on Ilia's shoulders to look at her in the eyes. He was concerned about that thing. He then looked at Barnes, who went on about describing it and Link immediately recognized it as a twilight shadow beast. He couldn't comprehend what it was doing in the world of light; it should have been shut off in the Twilight Realm. It was Midna's duty to keep the monsters locked away but they weren't, which meant that something devastating must have happened for that creature to be set free from her grasp. Link's gaze fell to the floor in deep thought.

Ilia stared at her friend with worry. "Is everything okay?" She asked.

Her voice woke him from his thoughts, and the pain returned to his leg again and he grimaced, gently shoving her off of him. He wanted to stand and destroy that creature, but he couldn't find his sword anywhere to prop him up.

Ilia stared at him questioningly, wondering what it was he was searching for. "We don't have any food…" She stated, but her assumption of him looking for something to eat was wrong. "Or water, or any of your supplies; only mine. I didn't grab your weapons, either." Link finally looked at her. Weapons. Aha- that was what he wanted. She frowned and pouted. "You can't fight that thing in your state of health! We'll have to wait for it to leave."

They suddenly heard the basement doors begin to open. They all rose in panic. Barnes threw his mask over his eyes again and crawled to sit behind the two. "The monster! It's coming for us!" He cried, taking hold of their shoulders and shaking them.

They didn't even bother to look back at him. Their eyes were fixed on the ladder, waiting for something to come down. Link didn't have his weapons and wasn't in proper shape to protect his friends; he wasn't sure how he was about to fight it. The hero quickly rose to his feet. His leg hurt a whole lot less with the potion working its magic. Link took a boxing stance. He was willing to pound it with his fists, no matter how little damage would be done.

A shadow covered the ladder. Everyone held their breath. However to their surprise, it was Luda who peeked down from the top. She stared at the trio with her deep black eyes and never let go of the ladder. "We got the supplies," she simply stated.

* * *

The group sat down in the nursing home and surrounded Link in his bed as they talked. The lights of two candles were the only sources that lit the room in the dark of the night. Luda's eyes were narrowed as everyone reflected on the shadow beast and the rest of the enemies. "I didn't expect them to show up again so soon. I thought they had disappeared for good after Gannondorf's reign had ended," she spoke with a smooth voice.

Darbus, the goron who had just crushed and disposed of the shadow beast, and two others that had apparently been roaming the village, was completely enraged with the recent incidents. "Monsters have also been showing up at Death Mountain! They've never come there before! They're spreading and taking control of the land," he flustered, rubbing his temples. "We've been working for days trying to squish and remove them all, but they just keep coming and we don't know from where."

Renado listened to the crowd bicker and quarrel about how to resolve the situation, but he stared at Link with eyes of content. That was the hero, so obviously there could have been something the child could do to stop it all. However, he would never push his dear friend to do something Link was against. Instead, he brought forth a different approach to the main subject. "It could be that there is some greater force summoning these creatures," Renado hummed. He rubbed his chin and leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed. "I am not certain of the reason; maybe they are looking for something. Maybe they are trying to get rid of something. What matters most at the moment is trying to rid the land of the problem, but you are not even sure what it is that they want or why they are here. If we figure that out, then it is a possibility that we may discover how to stop them."

This all brought them to silence. As always, the wise Renado held a strong point. He brought his eyes open again, and they all looked as if they were deep in thought. Darbus let out a deep sigh and stood from his seat. "I have no time to figure these things out. I currently have to protect my people from these creatures. If you discover anything, let me know and I will be sure to help you tiny people out," Darbus offered. He turned and left without another word, although facing some difficulty getting through the doorway.

Link thought of Midna and whatever could have happened to her that set all the monsters free. Although it meant a lot to him to find his parents, he had to figure out what was causing all of these problems beforehand. He was the hero of Hyrule, and as the hero it was his sole duty to protect everyone from danger and harm. Unfortunately.

Luda noticed the masked anguish on the hero's face and decided to change the subject, assuming that that was what was troubling him; "So what brings you to Kakariko?" She asked. Unfortunately, the question only seemed to make things worse.

Link immediately snapped from his thoughts and glanced at her. His eyes quickly shifted to the bed sheets. He hadn't even thought of a good excuse yet, and he knew if he didn't answer then Renado would sure be looking for answers later. A deep crimson began to form over his cheeks. He sat there awkwardly with everyone staring at him and couldn't find anything reasonable to say.

Ilia's eyebrows creased, wondering what his problem was. Link had never even given her a reason either. "Monsters had infested us as well, so we came to see if you were alright." Ilia saved, letting out a shy smile afterwards.

Barnes looked at Ilia, then at Renado, then at Ilia and at Renado again. Renado took a deep breath and stood from his seat. He wasn't as gullible as Ilia deemed him to be, but he would let it pass in the meantime. "Link's leg will take a few weeks to heal. He'll be able to stand again in a few days, but we don't want him moving around or else the stitches will come loose," he advised.

The hero frustratingly gripped onto the covers. He didn't have a "few weeks" to spare just to lie around in bed all day every day. The monsters were steadily increasing in numbers and he had to do whatever it took to stop them. He'd have to wait until early sunrise to leave again so that no one would be able to hold him back. Ilia would be angry with him, but he didn't have a choice. Time was running by quickly, and if he didn't hurry then all of Hyrule would be infested with those things. Link slumped down into his bed and covered his head with the sheets, hoping everyone would think he was tired and would leave him alone.

Renado was already making his way out, and Luda caught snap and began to follow. Barnes awkwardly sat in his chair and stared at the hero, the glanced at the indian and gasped. He jumped and fled the room before anyone else did with Renado and Luda closely following behind.

Ilia looked at the hidden Link under the blanket. The light that beamed from the candle dug into every crease of the sheet he was under. Ilia closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat. "I know you're upset that you'll be stuck inside this room for a while, but Colin had to do it too at one point. You'll be just fine," Ilia coldly stated. She shifted her position and slouched in her chair. "So exactly what are we doing all the way out here, huh? You never told me why you were going out on this adventure and I want to know!"

Link sat still and quietly under the covers. He wasn't sure if he truly wanted to tell her the reason. She didn't deserve an answer, anyway. This was supposed to be his adventure. He was going to meet his parents for the very first time, and Ilia had invited herself right along without Link's consent. He wouldn't say anything to make her mad, however. He didn't want to hurt Ilia's feelings. Instead, he pretended to be fast asleep. Ilia started to complain again, but he didn't stir. All of a sudden, the sheets quickly lifted from his body and Link struggled to make himself convincing.

Ilia stared at the sleeping boy for a while and sighed. She gently draped the covers over his shoulders and took his hat off and set it on the table next to him. She then blew out the candles and left the room without a goodnight.

Link didn't open his eyes again, however. By that point, he truly was fast asleep.

* * *

The cuccos began to crow at the peak of the morning. Link batted his eyes and then came up to a slow stretch of his arms followed by a yawn. He didn't plan on sleeping in so late, but it happened anyway. He would have to move quickly. Link threw the sheets off of his legs and went to stand up once more, but when he did so his leg began to pulse with pain again and he fell back onto the bed. The red potion's anesthesia must have worn off some time throughout the night. Fortunately the pain wasn't as intense now that it was healing. His clothes were still ripped and stained with blood, and the bandage was wrapped tightly around his clothing. It was a strange fix, but Link would have to deal with Ilia's nursing ability.

The hero searched the room to find his sword to prop him up, but it was nowhere to be found. In fact, all of his items were absent from the room, except for his hat. He huffed and threw the material on his head. Link had to leave that room somehow. He stood up and threw all of his body weight on one leg, then began to hop towards the door. One hop. Two hops. Three. In no time he had made it towards his destination. Link carefully cracked the door open and peeked through the hole. To his luck, no one was on the other side. He then slowly opened the door but it let out a loud creaking nose that echoed throughout the nursing home.

Link held his breath. All was silent. No one was in the house. He opened the door to its full extent and made his way towards the staircase while leaning on the wall for support. He glared at the unfriendly stairs and wondered how easy it would be to get down. For a moment, he leaned on his injured leg and leaped down to the next step, letting out a silent cry of pain. That wasn't going to work. Instead, he sat down on the stairs and began to scoot his way down. How childish of him, but he had to get to the bottom somehow or another. In a matter of no time he finally reached the floor, and to his lovely surprise, Barnes was staring right at him. He was carrying a loaf of bread and looked as if he was sneaking out. Their faces both flushed with embarrassment.

Barnes broke into a sweat. He dropped down to his knees and crawled to Link, then forcefully took a hold of Link's ankles. "Your weapons are in the kitchen! Don't tell anyone I was stealing, swear?! We're even now!" Barnes panicked. He glanced around and picked up his loaf again, and in a moment's notice he shot out of the exiting doors.

The kitchen! Link was going to have to make his way over there if he wanted his things. He took up again and began to hop once more, making his way to the location. He quickly arrived in the area and spotted his things on the table. Link began to hastily equip himself with his supplies, and then swiftly turned and started making his way for the door again. This was it! He was leaving!

Without Ilia behind him…

Link stopped at the exit and held onto the knob. He was going to ditch Ilia. He knew that what he was doing was wrong, but he was protecting her from the outside world- from getting harmed. Besides, she blatantly stated the day before that she didn't want to travel with him anymore and begged him to take her home. Link had nothing to feel guilty about. He'd be better off without her, anyway. Link swung the doors open without faulty feelings. No one was outside, not even Barnes. His horse was grazing by the spring. The escapee silently whistled through his fingers. Epona's ears rose along with her head, and she immediately charged towards her friend. Link climbed up onto her saddle with difficulty. When he reached the top, he stroked her mane with a smile on his face. He was about to leave.

Link whipped her reins. Epona jerked and turned to race towards the exit. Cuccos clucked and dashed out of their way. Dirt spread behind the steed's racing hooves. The two were departing out of the Kakariko gates and heading right back into Hyrule field.

* * *

**I feel that there was way too much going on in this chapter! But what's done is done. Don't be shy, please; critique and review!**


	4. New Destiny

Chapter Four: New Destiny

Epona's hooves beat gracefully against the ground. Link could scarcely see the outskirts of Hyrule field where his renewed freedom lied. The sky was golden, due to the rising sun. Birds chirped out from the distance. Everything was absolutely beautiful, despite the monsters running about.

"Yeah, I got it!" A sudden shout echoed from Link's right.

He halted Epona and shot his eyes into the direction of the noise. It was that pesky Renado and Ilia. She was practicing shooting her slingshot with that sneaky indian. They couldn't even practice inside the boundaries of Kakariko village- no. Renado _knew_ Link would attempt to escape. That man was extremely wise. Link yanked on Epona's reins and turned the horse around to depart through a different route. However, a sly little girl stood behind him and blocked his way back inside. Luda had her hands on her hips and stood tall and proud like her father. She looked irritated. "I don't think you're going to get very far with that injury," she coldly stated.

Link stared her in the eyes for a solid minute, testing her loyalty to Renado. She wasn't about to move out of his way. The hero grunted, realizing he had lost. He turned around again to race out into the field, uncaring whether Ilia and Renado spotted him or not. However, they were staring straight up at him right behind his horse, blocking him from further entry into the field. Link's spine shivered and his eyebrow twitched. He was caught fair and square, considering he had no intentions whatsoever to run them over. He groaned as he threw Epona's reins down so one of them could take him back inside the village. Luda gladly walked around and took hold of the leather, slowly leading him back into the prison.

Link refused to get off of his horse as they all stood around the spring. The three talked, while he was stubborn and stayed quiet. He was so close to leaving, and now he was stuck inside Kakariko for another day.

Renado playfully eyed his old friend, but took in all seriousness once more. It was about time he found some answers. "So… what _really_ brings you into the bowels of Kakariko?"

Link glanced at the wise man but quickly turned his gaze to the sparkling water. He had to give an answer now. However, he didn't want to answer with anything about his parents. That was personal and it meant a lot to him. He looked back up at Renado, as if looking for an answer from the old friend. They all stood in silence for a while, as if communicating with their eyes. Renado nodded in full comprehension and looked out at the water again.

Ilia clenched her fists, entirely jealous that Renado now knew something that she didn't. "What? Link! I'm your best friend! How are you just going to keep this from me?!" She begged, walking up to the hero. "If it's something bad then you don't have to tell me! If I'm not supposed to know then say so! I just want to be able to help you out!"

Link stared at her with his mouth agape. Ilia had a valid point about that friend thing. He scratched the back of his head and looked at the dirt like he always did when he was nervous.

Ilia's eyes swelled up with tears. She felt untrustworthy, unneeded. And maybe she truly was. After all that she had done for him, he still wouldn't tell her some measly secret. She gritted her teeth and glared at the ground. "Fine, don't tell me anything. I know when I'm not wanted. If you don't need me then just go already!" She sobbed. The girl turned and fled towards the safe house, not wanting them to see her cry.

Renado whispered something in Luda's ear and the child ran after Ilia. The indian then looked up at Link and nodded. "Do not feel guilt, for it is no one's business to dig into your troubles. I advised Luda to bring forth a proper explanation so that your friend will not be so distraught towards you," he reassured. Renado then turned and began to make his way to the nursery. "If you must depart because of your duty, then you are free to leave Kakariko, but it would be wise to take Ilia with you in case of another severe injury."

Link ashamedly watched him walk away. The hero never meant to make his friend cry, but things just sort of fell into place. Although Renado offered good words, it still didn't make Link feel any better. He could see the small teardrops on the dirt that Ilia had left for him. His heart sank. Link tugged Epona's reins and started to make his way to the nursery where he would rest for the remaining period of the day, which would be long considering it was still only morning.

All of a sudden, a strange bird-like noise erupted behind him, like a dramatic calling. The cry was then followed by godly music, such as harmonic voices and harps all tied together in a familiar, captivating melody. An array of gold spread throughout the interior of Kakariko, and then slowly died out until finally reaching a small glow. Link turned around to see the Great Spirit of Elden majestically floating high and proud above the holy spring water. The creature glimmered bright and deity-like, and it magnificently perched itself on a spirit orb stained with strange Hylian inscriptions. Eldin let out another echoing cry and stared down at the Hero of Courage. For the spirit to reveal itself to Link in this period of time proved that there was something dire happening around the region.

"O Brave Youth chosen by the gods…" The Spirit of Elden began, "… A disastrous force has returned upon these sacred grounds of Hyrule ... The Shadow Beasts of Twilight have begun to wreak havoc once more due to a disturbance in the Twilight Realm … You must go there… and bring the forces to an end before the land faces a dire consequence … However, this will be no easy task … It will take the power of all three pieces of the Triforce to stop this evil. You will abide in the glory of Courage, Wisdom, and Power. If your pure heart truly desires to obtain these pieces, you must find the remaining beholders and have them aid you on your quest. Without these keys, utter devastation will be brought forth upon this land … You will be visited by the three remaining Spirits, for they will bestow great knowledge unto you. Quickly, Hero … Travel far to the land of Twilight so that the forces may come to an end..."

The Spirit of Elden let out a powerful cry. The light surrounding it became blinding and the orchestra grew louder and louder until everything eventually died down again. Elden had disappeared. Link sat there on the horse now entirely frustrated. He already assumed something was wrong, but now he positively knew it and he was more troubled than ever. His parents would have to wait for him; Midna was in forlorn need of his help. But where would he get these pieces of Triforce? Princess Zelda would be easy to claim, but Gannondorf was destroyed only a while back and his power wouldn't renew for possibly centuries. Would it be possible to create a new source of power? Link shook his head, realizing that was impossible. The remaining spirits would guide him later on.

The hero turned his stallion to depart from the village, but came to a halt at the exit. He needed to take Ilia despite all the danger she would be put in. Also, it was necessary to renew their friendship; that girl would never forgive him if he left her behind. His leg wouldn't be able to withstand all of his energy anyway, so Ilia would have to be there to fix it up properly every time it ripped open again. He would have liked to stay in Kakariko for a few days so his leg would heal up, but he had no time.

Link led his horse once more towards the nursing house. He stepped off of his steed and made his way back into the home, familiarly using his sword as a support. He then made his way up the stairs while having to slightly and carefully bounce up each step. The hero finally entered his room again and crashed in his bed on his back, exhausted from such a dramatic morning. So many things crossed his mind; his parents, Ilia, Midna, the Triforce. How he was to solve all of these things was beyond his comprehension. He would just have to discover everything as he went along.

There was a sudden knock at the door, interrupting Link's thoughts. He forced himself up to a sitting position and Ilia walked in. She sheepishly rubbed her arm and stared at the wood floor. "I… would like to apologize," she whispered. The girl made her way to the bed and sat down in a chair in front of him, then snatched the hero's hand and buried her face into the back of it. "It _was_ about the monsters. Luda explained it all to me. You were just going out to fight them all to protect all of your people, and you didn't want me to come because you didn't want me to get hurt!" She started sobbing again. Link could feel her tears seeping through his glove. "It must be so hard to be the hero, having to face all of these dangerous tasks … All of these difficult decisions."

Link stared at her with wistful content. She was so innocent and would never be able to fathom the extremity Link would go through. He wasn't sure if Luda had really believed all of this or if she used that as a cover-up to protect Ilia and Link's friendship, but nonetheless he was pleased with that tale. And now that tale was ironically true; he was going to face numerous dangerous tasks thanks to an unwanted disturbance in the Twilight Realm.

Ilia squeezed his hand and lifted her dry face again. Her smile was now brighter than Link had ever seen it. "… This is why I want to come with you! You won't be able to handle everything by yourself and I can heal up your leg and help you fight monsters!" She cheered. Link breathed a heavy sigh of deplore. He thought she would finally let him be, but it wasn't so. "Please, I'm not a little girl anymore. I saved the Prince of the Zoras and faced a bunch of scary monsters without your help. I won't be any trouble!" The two of them sat in silence for a while. He wasn't sure if it was all that wise to drag her along, but Link regretfully nodded in order to save their friendship, and Ilia immediately threw herself into a hug with him. "Oh, thank you Link! I promise I won't bale out on you! You can count on me for anything!"

Link awkwardly patted her back and sighed. He pushed her back again and now forced a crooked smile, unsure how to take in the bittersweet moment. This girl would definitely drag him down, but at least she'd be able to fix him up quickly. And carry more supplies.

Renado suddenly peeked his head from behind the doorway. He looked distraught; "Mayer Bo has arrived in the village bearing dreadful news. I wish his visit was under better circumstances…"

Link and Ilia immediately traded glances, then raced downstairs and outside into the village. Two carriages were parked over by the spring, along with several passengers from the Ordon village stepping out. Rusl took a hold of Uli's hand as he carefully helped her out onto the dirt. She was clutching her baby tight and Colin meekly stood behind her.

Link questionably turned to look at Mayor Bo for answers, who stood right by his old indian friend. The mayor proudly held his hands on his hips as he gazed at all of his devastated citizens. "Our peaceful village has set fire," Bo mourned. "Monsters rummaged through our burning homes. We tried to stop them all- we tried to fight back, but it was no use. There was so many…" He now turned to face Link, but his eyes were set on his daughter. "The fire eventually consumed everything in the night, so we had to flee. I thought I lost you, Ilia."

Ilia's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Papa!" She embraced him with a hug and they both smiled and held onto each other tight, overly joyed that the other was alive.

Link and Renado stared at the heartwarming reunited family. The hero felt a longing to be embraced by his own family, for someone to tell him how worried they were, for someone to cry and tell them they loved him, but his family was elsewhere. He could only watch the two find joy in each other, and it hurt. Renado placed a heavy hand on Link's shoulder and squeezed it. They then smiled up at each other in content from the uplifting scene. But Renado had no clue.

Mayor Bo now drew away from Ilia again and looked at Link once more. "I know you have your own worries, Link, but I must ask that you save our dying village. Please. We can repair our homes; we just need you to get rid of the monsters," Bo begged. Link nodded, and the two of them shook hands. "Rusl also volunteered to help you. I want Ilia staying with me from now on."

Ilia jerked her head at him in protest. "But Papa-!"

"Ilia, I'm your father and I need to protect you! I almost lost you once when all of Hyrule was in devastation and I do not plan on losing you again!" Bo roared. He swiftly turned away and marched off.

Ilia sighed and realized he was right, but it wasn't in her nature to give up. She turned and looked at Link. "I'm going to try to convince my father to let me go with you; maybe I can't persuade him in time to help you in Ordon, but hopefully I can convince him for later adventures." They were all silent for a while. "You'll come back for me, right?" Ilia asked, but she turned and strode away before an answer could be given.

"They'll be alright," Renado assured. He turned to look at Rusl now, who was approaching the scene. "Link has agreed to aid you in recapturing your village again," he called out to the man.

Rusl smiled and came to a halt behind Link, then patted the boy on the back. "Good job, lad! We better get a move on before night falls again. They get extremely testy at that time," Rusl informed, referring to the enemies. He then looked at Link's bandages and his face transformed from encouragement to concern. "Hey … What happened to your leg? Are you sure you'll be alright? It's going to be dangerous."

Link nodded and began to stride toward Epona. He wasn't going to wait around for anyone to protest; the sooner he got to Ordon, the quicker he would be able to speak with the Spirit of Ordona. Everyone watched the hero awkwardly limp with his sword, but they made no comment. Rusl followed closely behind and quickly mounted his own steed. Link also struggled to mount Epona and he immediately turned and rode out of the village with Rusl trailing in the back.

They quickly traveled through Hyrule, dodging monsters that struck every which way. In no time they arrived in Ordon. Rusl stopped Link at the Ordon spring before they continued. "I have to warn you," Rusl stated with a shuttering tone, "these monsters are unlike anything I've seen. They easily hold a lot of strength, so be careful." He stared at Link's leg while speaking these words. The two of them dismounted their horses and now made their way forward again.

The group approached Link's home which was now nothing but blackness and smoke. Link felt like someone placed a weighty rock on his chest as he gazed at the sad mess. His home was now close to becoming ashes. He had grown up there; that was the only place he knew. There was no time to bask in his childhood, unfortunately. Monsters were absent from the area, so they moved on again. They now entered the village. Black fog filled the air and smoke filled their lungs. They covered up their faces with their arms and began to cautiously sneak into the premises. They could hear wild creatures calling and crying out into the distance, but they couldn't see anything.

Link suddenly remembered an old trick he was taught. The hero thoughtfully took out his lantern and began to swing it around. The fog began to successfully move away from them and they now had a little fresh opening to see and breathe in. The two exchanged smiles and Rusl proudly patted his friend on the back.

Their small moment was quickly brought to an end when a giant black bird-like creature swooped down at them. Link immediately recognized it as a shadow kargarok and began to shoot arrows at it. He struck it in the chest and it fell somewhere in the distant smoke. Suddenly, small shadow vermin began to crawl into their safe circle and bite and climb up their legs. The two panicked and started jumping up and down, stabbing each individual with their swords. Another shadow kargarok flew in from the top, followed by two of its friends. Link took a bomb from his pouch and tossed it high up in the air. It spun and exploded right in the foe's face, but the two other kargaroks quickly dodged out of the way. They then swooped down again at the two in attempt for another attack.

The vermin wouldn't stop coming. They constantly ripped and climbed the heroes' clothes and bit at their legs. Rusl was becoming irritated. Link's leg already had a terribly injury and Rusl refused let it get any worse. "I'm going to lead these things away!" He shouted, snatching the lantern from Link's grip without the child's consent. "You be careful!" The brave man fled from Link's spot and the vermin and kargaroks followed their prey.

Link slipped a cough and covered his mouth again. He blindly made his way through the thick fog, looking for some sort of opening. All he could think of was his leg at that point. Some of the vermin had torn away his bandages and stitches and exposed it to the outside. The heat of the smoke burned his wound, but for the time being he didn't have anything to fix it with. His leg pulsed with pain as he trudged through the fog. He was past the point of using his sword for support anymore; he tightly gripped his blade and shield and held them in front of him, ready to attack.

As the time passed, he couldn't find any monsters about. Maybe they were watching him or maybe they were all after Rusl. The thought of them ripping apart his friend made Link shudder. Right now, that man was all he had. He was his father-like figure and his savior for the time being. Link couldn't imagine life without his dear friend. All of a sudden, a piercing scream raged through the sky. Link panicked, knowing exactly who that was. He raced as quickly as his injury would let him towards the cry. He began calling out Rusl's name, begging for him to make another sound so Link could find him. Amidst his yelling, a deadly shadow beast appeared in front of Link. Its masked tentacles whipped wildly. Link stared at it in horror, not expecting it to appear so abruptly.

The beast swung its arm at the hero who quickly jumped out of the way. The landing sent a jolt of intense pain up his leg, but he wouldn't let that stop him. The Hylian jumped and rolled behind the beast. Then with a mighty swing he stuck his weapon into the back of his enemy. It wailed out in sheer agony and fell onto the ground. But that wasn't the end. Another shadow beast erupted from the fog and knocked Link down on his back. It then swooped its arm in the air and brought it crashing down on Link's stomach. The hero coughed and clutched his abdomen. Before the foe could throw another hit, Link rolled out of the way and arduously brought himself up back to his feet.

The beast followed Link in the fog as the hero bounced back from every threatening swing. He sliced his weapon through the air in attempt to hit its arms but missed every hit. The hero soon found himself trapped against a wall. The smoke was heavy in that area and all he could see were those horrific arms clawing at him in the fog. Link choked for air and used his shield to block the hits. He was becoming light headed after breathing in all that smoke. The hero frantically struck his sword forward, hoping to hit the enemy somewhere. To his unfortunate luck, the beast managed to get a hold of Link's arm. It pulled him close and screamed in his face. The hero's eyes became narrow, for the beast had made a grave mistake. Link tightly gripped his sword and pierced it through the enemy's neck. It screeched and pulled away from the blade and horrifically collapsed on the floor. The foe had an unsightly seizure and then lied still on the dirt.

Link stared at it. He realized he had done something wrong. The beasts either traveled solo or in a trio. Had it been one, he would have been safe. However, he had only killed two shadow beasts, which meant there was still one remaining that would revive its partners. And he was exactly right. A wail called out from the very distance that damaged Link's ears. The shadow beast in front of him began to rise once more. He wasn't about to wait for it to come back to life; the hero bolted from his spot and blindly raced through the smoke.

He could feel his feet stomping on vermin by accident, but it was definitely for the best. Suddenly, Link tripped over something and fell flat on his face. He wearily lifted his head and noticed an empty lantern in front of him. The hero's heart dropped. He swiftly turned his head back and saw Rusl. The man had a gaping wound in the side of his ribs. Blood was flowing like a river from the injury. Rusl's skin was pale and gross. Link sprawled onto his hands and knees and quickly placed his head on Rusl's chest. He could hear a faint heartbeat, which meant that he was still alive, but just barely.

The frantic hero grabbed his friend's arm and threw him over his shoulder. Rusl's blood immediately drenched Link's clothes. The man was heavier than he thought and the weight hurt his leg, but Link began to stride forward to save his friend. His heart raced with fear. He had no idea where he was or how he was going to get out, especially with all of those monsters roaming. The hero wouldn't be able to attack easily while carrying his friend, but he couldn't do anything about it.

All of a sudden, one of the shadow beasts erupted out of the smoke. Link could clearly see the wound on its neck. Another shadow beast came in from Link's left, and an unwounded beast appeared from his right. They were closing in on the hero. Link couldn't think of anything to do. He gripped onto his sword with his free hand, willing to do whatever it took to defend his friend. In a moment's notice, the three leaped at him only to be struck back again by an unknown force. They all instantly died with a long streak of blood across their chest. It was over that quickly. Link stared at them all in confusion and wondered how they could have died so easily.

"You're not as strong as how I remember you," a familiar voice called. Link refused to look back. He wouldn't believe it. She said she would return, but the Mirror of Twilight had completely shattered. It was impossible for her to return. His spine shivered as he slowly turned to face the tall figure. Even in the smoke her beauty easily bestowed a vibrant light. She held a sweet smile as she gazed at him. "Sorry about the shadow beasts. Looks like they messed you guys up pretty bad." She fell to one knee and gently stroked Link's wound, then eyed up at the hero again. "Gross," she ordinarily snickered.

Link felt uncomfortable and moved away from her. There seemed something strange about her, as if that wasn't Midna. Maybe the presence felt odd because she wasn't in her familiar imp form, but Link couldn't place it. He stared her up and down, but instead of growing in suspicion he felt himself blushing tremendously.

Midna smiled and stood up again. "I've missed you," she said, her angelic figure closing in on him. Link's heart raced. Her face drew extremely near to Link's and he thought she might kiss him. But she didn't. A bright, golden light blinded them all that was followed by harmonic voices and harps, and the fog immediately washed away. Midna let out a shriek and she warped away into nothing again to avoid the piercing stings of the pure light. His old friend disappeared once more and would be gone for who knew how long.

Now that the smoke was gone, Link could clearly see the remaining monsters that crawled on his territory. Ashes filled the roads of Ordon and all of the homes were burned down. Some of the Ordon goats lied dead in the village, some with nothing but bones left. Link stared in agony at his childhood village that was now burnt into nothing. The sky that glimmered so blue at one time only seemed grey in his eyes. Destruction had been brought forth upon his home and he didn't even have enough time to ask Midna what happened.

"O Brave Youth chose by the gods…" A voice called behind him. Link turned and saw the Spirit of Ordona. It was odd to see the creature away from the spring, but it was under drastic measures that the deity had chosen to flee from its perch. "Do not trust the Princess of Twilight, for her heart has been engulfed by a sea of stone and shadow. She is the cause for the destruction of the land …" Link gazed sorrowfully at the wise god. He couldn't understand why Midna would ever do such a thing; they were friends and her heart was pure. He gazed intently at Ordona for answers. "As the result of Zant's death, he has revived himself in her body to inflict terror on the grounds of Hyrule once more … However, the pure being you know as Midna still lies deep inside her own body … She is one with Zant, and her character still shines as you have just witnessed. She will try to fool you in order to obtain what she desires most; the Triforce…

Do not fret, hero … You will gather the three pieces of the Triforce and use them to stop the evil she wields. With courage… you will infiltrate into the Twilight Realm. With wisdom… you will discover the secret to defeating the Twilight Princess. With power… you will bring the dreadful reign to an end. Travel to the castle of Hyrule and obtain the Triforce of Wisdom, then make way to the bowels of Gerudo Desert where you will find a prison hidden deep under the sand. There you will find the true Triforce of Power … Make haste, O Link, for the Princess of Twilight is on an epic journey to retrieve the Triforce as well. There is only so little time…"

The Spirit of Ordona's light burst bright, blinding the hero again. The music began to fade as the divinity fled to its spring where it would secure itself until another force erupted. By that point, the monsters of twilight had finally died due to the extremity of the spirit's awesome and holy power. Ordon was now desolate again. Link stared at the ruin inflicted by Midna. The destruction was unbearable, but he couldn't believe that she would bring so much destruction to his home. But the gods said that it was because of her that this had happened, and if the gods said it was so then surely it was so. Wasn't it?

Rusl groaned and shifted slightly on Link's shoulder, snapping the hero from his thoughts. Link whistled for the horses to come, which quickly arrived in a matter of no time. He threw Rusl on the front of his horse and Link uneasily climbed on the saddle as well. Epona followed behind the trio as they all dashed out of Ordon and made their way back to Kakariko village. As of the moment, Link's number one priority was to save Rusl, whose life was quickly coming to an end. His family would be highly displeased.

* * *

**I was so tired when writing and editing this. I feel that a whole lot of it doesn't make sense, but maybe I'm terribly wrong and I just don't understand it because I'm not actually awake. Hoooo boooy, hopefully that poor Rusl will be just fine. I guess we'll find out soon.**


	5. Wrong Direction

Chapter Five: Wrong Direction

It was now nightfall. Uli kneeled down by Rusl's bedside with tears pouring down her cheeks. She clutched onto her husband's hand with all her might. Colin gently caressed his little sister as he stared at his injured father in anguish from the other side of the bed. The man's wounds had been treated and he had been given three red potions, but even then it didn't seem to be enough. A lot of his blood had been lost in so little time. Everyone worried whether Rusl would recover or not. "Why must you always push yourself past your limits?" Uli silently whispered to her unconscious husband as she brushed his hair from his eyes. She then turned her gaze to Link, who sat in the bed next to them. "I know you two must have fought bravely together. Thank you for bringing him back, Link. I only wish he was in a better state."

Her agonized facial expression tormented Link. He nodded and quickly looked away from her. It hurt too much to see her pain. He felt that he had failed her. Link and Rusl were supposed to be partners, and he could hardly protect his friend. It was Rusl who defended Link with his life. Link was the hero of Hyrule and he couldn't even keep one person safe. Now the man's family was even more distressed, living without a home and without a healthy father and husband.

Ilia suddenly knocked on the door. She then entered with Sera, Pergie, and Beth behind her; the women of Ordon. They were carrying bread and pies for their fallen heroes. "We made this as thanks for running out all of those bad monsters!" Sera exclaimed, cheerfully setting her pumpkin pie on the night stand. The other girls set their items on the table as well. "Had we known you guys were going to get so roughed up, we wouldn't have sent you back there … You're some brave people."

The other women began to throw comments and compliments and praises to the heroes. Uli and Colin seemed to start to cheer up a bit. In no time, everyone was laughing and joking like they always had. There was nothing that could keep this small village in a bad mood. They all eventually said their goodbyes and fled the room again. They were to sleep downstairs with the rest of their families.

However, Ilia stayed by Link's side. She pulled up a chair right next to his bed and smiled at him. "How are you feeling?" She asked. Her voice was tender and soothing and warmed Link's heart. She suddenly lowered her voice and came close to the hero's face. "Hey, don't feel bad. You did your best to protect him. When you and I go out, we'll make sure to be extra careful."

Link's eyes widened in horror. He couldn't dare to expose danger to her after what had just happened to Rusl. The man was nearly dying and Ilia still begged to go with him. Link shook his head and demanded that she stayed with the others, but Ilia started to protest again. She stood from her seat and started yelling, startling Uli and Colin. Their little girl began to cry.

"Is everything okay?" Colin asked. Ilia suddenly became silent. The hero was trembling tremendously. He bowed his head, refusing to look at her anymore, knowing he had lost the argument. However, he was more frustrated than he was afraid for her. That girl would never give up. She always got what she wanted, and it greatly bothered the hero and now she was going to risk her life and she didn't even know what for.

Ilia nodded. "Yeah," she whispered, "we're fine." She didn't remove her eyes from Link. He looked far from happy, but Ilia wasn't about to go back on her word. She was going on that adventure with Link and if he got hurt she would patch him right up. Ilia would never get over it if Link was wounded and she wasn't there to fix him back up. She finally looked away from him and marched out of the room.

Link sighed. Colin finally took the wailing baby out of the room so Rusl and Link could rest. Uli smiled and looked up at Link. "Don't think that just because Rusl got hurt it was your fault. Maybe you couldn't exactly protect him, but he's alive isn't he? So if you could keep this slow, old man alive then surely you'll be able to protect that quick girl," she encouraged with a laugh. Her face suddenly became grimmer, but she never let go of her smile. "She's young, so she'll have more energy and you won't have to keep an eye on her as much. I know you only want to protect everyone, but we don't expect you to. You just worry about yourself, mkay?" Her soft blue eyes left Link's body and returned to her husband's.

Link didn't say anything. He only studied her.

Rusl suddenly began to stir and his eyes slowly cracked open. He lightly smiled at Uli and coughed. "Hey, doll."

Uli gasped. "You're okay!" She cried as she hugged onto his chest. "Oh, Rusl! You're okay!"

Everyone suddenly rushed into the room from her loud screams and became amazed at what they saw. They soon began cheering and crying as well. "He's alive!" Some of them shouted. "It's a miracle!" Others exclaimed. Colin rushed into the room and came into a deep hug with his father, their little girl squished in between the embrace. Everyone crowded around the man and began throwing compliments and questions.

Rusl only chuckled and slightly coughed. His mind was still sort of hazy considering he had just woken up, so he was far from thinking properly. He looked around the room in search for a certain familiar face but didn't manage to find the one he was looking for. "Hey ... Where's Link?"

A couple faces looked back at Link's bed, but he wasn't there.

The hero leaned on his sword for support as he limped towards the spring. He could clearly see Ilia furiously chucking rocks into the smooth water. It felt necessary to apologize to the girl, his friend. She had saved his life, after all. It seemed that he always had to do whatever it took to please her, no matter how provoked he was. They were friends, and they just couldn't stay mad at each other.

"You jerk!" Ilia huffed as she skid one of her pebbles across the surface. It skipped and skipped and plopped underneath the water. "You don't realize how much you need me! You have the title of a hero but can hardly defend yourself. And look at what happened! Now you don't even want me! Why?" She screamed as she let the pebble fly from her hands. It landed far across the other side of the spring. "You can't do these things on your own! You need me more than you think!" She started picking up whatever rocks were nearby and tossed them into the spring. "What? Am I not strong enough for you? You couldn't even protect yourself, so how did you expect to protect Rusl?! You're the one who's not strong!" She shouted, uncontrollably thrusting another rock into the water. It didn't skid that time, but landed with a large splash.

Link was at a halt a little ways behind Ilia. He didn't want her to see him. He observed her grief and felt grieved as well. All that she said was hurtful, but it was true. He thought he was strong enough but he couldn't defend Rusl. But that was why he had to leave Ilia behind, because he was worried he wouldn't be able to protect her. However, he had already agreed numerous times that he would allow her to come along. Besides, he needed her as everyone around him claimed. The hero's soul felt weak after all that she had said. He took a good look at his sword and decided he didn't need it anymore, so he sheathed it behind himself again and stood up tall and proud, despite the pain in his leg. It didn't hurt as much as it used to, anyway. Link felt as if he renewed his absolution and felt strong again.

Ilia threw one last rock that marked the end of her rage. She now turned around but was startled to see Link. Her chest jumped, wondering if he had heard every hateful thing she said. By the look on his face it seemed that he had. "Link… I didn't mean any of those things."

Link nodded. Before she could say anything else, he quickly apologized. And they became silent again. Ilia had known exactly what it was for. They both looked at the ground unsure of what else to say. Link strolled to her side, not limping as much as before, and sat down on the dirt next to her feet. Ilia took seat next to him and they stared out at the water. The moon reflected on the surface that glimmered bright white. It masked beautifully on the spring. Tranquility took place, and they seemed to forget all of their troubles and arguments and pains. Everything seemed so peaceful.

"Let's go right now," Ilia offered. They both turned to face each other. They didn't even have to say anything else. They believed that the other would protect them with their life and didn't have to worry anymore. They stood up once more and mounted Epona, who was asleep nearby. They already had everything necessary gathered inside their pouches, especially a few extra red potions just in case. Without a single goodbye, they raced out of the village and flew out into the dark of the night.

Mayor Bo had been straining to catch up to the two. He huffed and puffed as he struggled to keep his short legs moving. "Wait! Ilia, come back! You can't go!" He begged. The mayor suddenly tripped but didn't even bother to get up again. His daughter was already so far away, and there wasn't even another horse close by to chase them after with. "What did I do wrong? Why did you go against me? Why won't you stay?"

* * *

Originally, the plan was to cross into Termina field and make way to Hyrule Castle from there. Unfortunately, it seemed that all of the entrances were blocked. The new plan was to cross over the Great Bridge of Hylia and enter the castle through the East Gate. Ilia had come to accept this plan better, since she had only seen the vast water only one other time in her life, but it was too dark to see it the first time. Now she would be able to clearly see the giant lake of Hylia and bask in its glory.

The morning sun crept up behind them. They had been traveling all night, but they were perfectly fine, except for Ilia who wasn't used to the late travel and had fallen asleep on his back. Link smiled as she hugged him tight around his waist. The girl was exhausted and couldn't even hold her eyes open. The night had drug on long with all of the monsters trying to attack at them, but so far they were completely unharmed and managed to either dodge or beat any enemy that had leapt at them. The hero was already used to late night fighting, so Ilia would have to adapt to his habits.

The trio finally began to approach the bridge. Link tapped on her arm to wake her up. "Link…?" Ilia yawned as she slowly lifted herself from his back and rubbed her eyes. She suddenly became wide awake as she could see some of the water from where she was. They hadn't even stepped onto the structure and Ilia could see the lake. "Wooow, Link! It's so beautiful!" She shouted. The excited girl jumped off of the horse and ran onto the bridge, not even waiting for them to catch up. She had to step up on one of the boxes to look over at the pool.

Link could easily see the familiar grounds as he sat tall on his horse. Memories flooded his mind from when he had been a beast and Midna helped him revive the lake. The hero would have liked to have gone down for a visit, but he didn't have time to talk. As of now his first priority was to retrieve the other Triforce pieces. Hylia could be visited some other time.

Ilia turned to get up on the horse again. Link easily pulled her up by her hand and they began to stride forward again. "Link, will you make me a promise?" Ilia asked. Link waited patiently for her to continue. "Will you take me into that lake one day? And we'll go swimming and have fun?"

The hero chuckled and nodded. It was a promise he would be sure to keep.

The two remained silent as they crossed the narrow bridge. From the distance, the hero could see a strange figure from the other side. It appeared to be a bulblin, which luckily posed no threat since they were now allies. Maybe it would like to join Link on his journey and they could fight side by side together. However, something strange seemed to be happening to it; it was transforming. The green from its skin started to turn to an ugly grey, and its clothes began to dissipate. Black markings creased into its skin and a red glow formed on its chest. A mask suddenly appeared over its face. It had now become a shadow bulblin, which Link had fought before as a beast. There was no doubt in Link's mind that this was Zant's doing.

Ilia hadn't removed her eyes from the water, so luckily she hadn't seen the horrific transformation. Link carefully took his bow and arrow from his pouch and aimed at the enemy. In a swift action, he released the arrow and it immediately pierced the shadow bulblin's chest. It fell dead onto the ground without a fight. Link felt pleased that it had gone down so easily without Ilia's awareness. However, another shadow bulblin appeared from behind the distant pillar, and another and another. About five of them appeared around their dead friend. Link could also clearly see about four other archers perched in the windows of the columns. He couldn't understand what they were doing or why they were there.

Link carefully aimed his arrow again at one of the archers. He closed one eye to get a good shot when it suddenly noticed him and cried at its allies. The hero immediately shot the arrow and killed it, but it was too late. The other shadow bulblins noticed him and were now stampeding in his direction. The archers also took note and aimed their bows at the trio. Link pulled his shield from behind himself and wielded it in front of his trio, guarding them from the deadly arrows.

Ilia began to rise in panic. "What's going on?!" She couldn't see what was happening, for his shield was blocking everything in front of her sight. She could hear strange little noises rising in volume. Whatever it was, the noises were coming for them.

Link handed Ilia his shield so she could protect herself from the incoming arrows. He then hastily dismounted his horse and raced for the enemies. One of them slugged their heavy weapon at the hero, but they were too slow. Link rolled around it and slashed it in its back. Another foe came to hit at Link, but he turned around and stopped the weapon with his own sword. They began to push back on each other. The hero luckily managed to throw it backwards but he didn't have time to rest when two other shadow bulblins came rushing at him. His chest jumped as he swiftly jumped away from their attacks.

Arrows rushed at everyone from up high. The archers were even willing to take down their own teammates just to defeat the intruders. Link went to swing at one of his attackers in front of him, but it fell dead due to an arrow that had been flung into its back. The hero rapidly dodged the descending arrows as he attempted to slice through his enemies. Link let out a yell as he ducked down from one of his foe's attacks. He then swung his blade through the bulblin's leg and it screamed and crashed onto the stone ground. Link then came up again and stabbed it in the chest.

Now there were two enemies left on the ground. Epona let out a shrilling neigh as one of the creatures came near to her. Ilia screamed as well and pushed back on it with the shield. However, the foe was shoving back harder on them; it was going to throw the horse and girl over the bridge. Link raced for the enemy and stabbed it in its back. He couldn't see the one remaining shadow bulblin from where he was, so he quickly turned and wielded his bow and arrow again. In three swift movements, he pierced through each archer with an arrow. They collapsed and fell from their window. If the arrow didn't kill them, the impact of the stone surely would.

The last shadow bulblin crept up from behind them all. It quickly jumped onto the ledge, snatched Ilia's arm, and flung her out over the water. She let out a piercing shriek and she watched the ledge slowly grow smaller. Link's heart beat at a rapid pace. He took out his clawshot and thrust the claw at his friend. It took a hold of her leg and she dangled over the water. Link's feet slid to the ledge and slammed against the hard, stone wall with a thud. He struggled to hold onto her. The bulblin came towards Link and slugged its weapon at him. The hero took a tight grip on his sword and blocked the attack, but it was so difficult while having to hold on to Ilia. The enemy moved back again and stared at the struggling hero, as if forming an idea. It suddenly whacked at Link's feet, which caused him to fly over the edge.

Link now put his sword away and took out his other clawshot. He aimed it at the bridge and shot it at the window in the ledge's wall. It barely clamped on at the end of its chain. Link was jerked in the air and it hurt his back tremendously. He was now dangling in the middle, using one clawshot to carry Ilia and using the other to hold onto the ledge. It hurt his arms and spine to have to deal with all the weight, but there was nothing he could do about the pain. He began to slowly ascend towards the bridge again using the clawshot. The bulblin suddenly peeked its head from above the wall. It reached its weapon forward and began hitting on the claw. Link stared at the scene in sheer fear. There was nothing he could do. They were about to fall into Lake Hylia.

With one final swing, the shadow bulblin managed to unhook the claw, sending Link and Ilia into the depths of the lake. Ilia screamed as she fell from the extreme height. Link dived down for her and grabbed her around her waist. They couldn't afford to be separated in the water. Link took a deep breath as the water grew nearer and nearer. In an instant, they splashed head first into the lake, sending water flying high into the air.

The hero clutched tightly onto the now limp girl as they floated underwater. Rushing bubbles slightly blurred his vision. He immediately turned and began kicking his legs and brought them up to the surface again. Link gasped for air and coughed. He struggled to swim while having to hold Ilia's head over the water; one arm was used to help him float while the other carried her. The Hylian began to move quickly for one of the small islands.

He instantly threw his friend on the shore and placed his head to her chest. She wasn't breathing. Link began to panic. She could have been dead. He immediately started pushing on her chest with his hands, attempting to save her with CPR. It didn't seem to be working. She wouldn't wake up. He'd have to pull the air out of her lungs with his own breath. That meant he'd have to touch lips. With his childhood friend. Ilia. His heart rate began to increase. It wasn't a kiss- _he was saving her life. _Link slowly leant in closer to her face. His skin began to flush red and he started to feel butterflies in his stomach. His lips came awfully close to hers, but she suddenly awoke and sputtered water right into his face. Link moved from her and wiped away the girl's nasty spit water. He then crawled over to her again and patted the choking girl on the back.

Ilia was trembling, but oddly enough she began to smile. "This wasn't… what I had in mind… when I said I wanted… to go swimming," she stuttered.

Link stared at her a moment and then masked a smile that was followed by a nervous chuckle. It was a stupid thing to say, but it deeply touched his heart. He brushed his wet bangs out of his eyes and took his soaking hat off. He was completely drenched and so was she. The hot sun would dry them, but it would be a long while before that happened. The hero stood up and helped Ilia to her feet with his hand. They were trapped on a small archipelago, but luckily the mainland in Lake Hylia wasn't far off. Link spotted a boat a little ways away. He waved for Ilia to follow and they began to hop from island to island to reach it.

Link carefully stepped inside the boat. He then looked up at Ilia, who looked unsure about the idea. The hero held his hand out like a gentleman to help her in. Her fragile hand slowly reached out and took a hold of his. She then sat inside the craft with him. Link picked up the giant oars and began to paddle away against the smooth surfaced water. Ripples that erupted from his paddles gently shredded against the boat. Ilia looked over the edge and stared deep into the lake. The water was so clear that she could see the entrance to the Water Temple at the bottom! Fish could easily be seen through the crystal clear lake, but it was the zoras that caught her attention. They merrily swam and played around in the depths of the pool. She gazed in awe as they gracefully flew from one point to the other. The girl had never actually seen them swim before.

As he paddled, Link heartwarmingly watched his friend. Her amazement at the creatures was amusing in Link's eyes who had seen everything from the top of Hyrule to the bottom. Now Ilia was about to see it all. He didn't exactly want her to travel the land under these dangerous conditions, but it was far too late to turn back now. He'd have to make the best of every moment, like they were currently doing.

Link turned his gaze away from her, and from where they were he could see all sorts of caves in the walls of Lake Hylia. Those definitely weren't there his last trip into the lake. They must have been formed after he saved Hyrule, or maybe a little before that. Strange little blue and yellow lights sparked inside of the caves. He couldn't even comprehend what could be inside. They'd definitely have to explore inside of there if they had the time.

They had finally reached one of the larger islands and stepped onto it, making sure to securely tie the boat's rope to one of the pillars. Link could clearly see the Human-Cannonball ride sitting on a platform in the water from where they were, and he began to stride towards that area without even waiting on Ilia. That would be their exit out of that place. A small crowd of tourists surrounded the structure. He could see Fyer guarding the machine with his hands casually placed in his pockets, speaking with the guests. The clown's dull face suddenly began to light up as Link neared closer and closer, and Fyer left his post and disregarded the people to talk to his old friend. "Hey, fella! My, my… I haven't seen you in a while," he greeted with an unusually wide grin.

Ilia quickly caught up behind Link and observed the two conversing and laughing. They seemed to be fairly close, so the girl decided not to interrupt on their long awaited recap. The impatient crowd began to arise in anger waiting for their turn on the ride, but Fyer didn't pay any mind to them.

The clown bellowed and patted Link on the back, then stuck his hand in his pocket again. "So… how about it for old time's sake? A ride on Fyer's famous Human-Cannonball." Fyer offered, suddenly following with a wink. "I'll even let you on with no charge this time, since you're the Hero of Hyrule."

"The Hero of Hyrule?!" A deep and feminine voice called from the crowd. A large woman shoved her way to the front, knocking a few people off of the platform into the water accidentally. "You mean _Link_?"

Whispers and hoots and hollers erupted from the now intrigued audience. Link's chest jumped, worried that he was about to be trampled by the deadly crowd of fans. He could hardly go out in public anymore without anyone cheering and hugging and grabbing at his clothes. That's why he limited himself to Ordon, because the people there didn't treat him like a figure. Sure, his village still highly praised him and acted different around him now, but they weren't the worst.

Fyer hesitated before answering, based off of the uneasy expression on Link's face. "Well, of course…"

The woman flaunted a bashful smile and spread her arms far and wide and started coming to Link for a hug. "Link, my son! I have finally found you!"

* * *

**Whoa whoa, this woman sure is making a big claim, but is she really his mother? This chapter was a little difficult to write. I knew how I wanted to plan it out, but I couldn't think of the details in between. Hopefully I expanded on this well:) Thank you for all of the reviews so far. I greatly appreciate them. And thank you for keeping up with the story. I guess we'll find out who this lady is in the next chapter.**


	6. A Pleasure to Meet You

Chapter Six: A Pleasure to Meet You

This short woman who claimed to be Link's mother snatched the hero around the neck and threw him into a choking hug. She was wide around the hips and her arms were unsightly flabby. Her face was caked in makeup while her short, brown hair easily curved her round face. Her thick eyelashes that surrounded her deep, chocolate eyes seemed to stick out so far that they'd let her fly away into some unknown land. Her lips and cheeks were painted with the brightest of red. She also wore vibrant colors to match her loud personality; a large, bright blue shawl was thrown over her flower patterned blouse. She also wore Hylian patterned balloon pants and blue heels that matched her shawl. An enormous, bright red hat was placed firmly on her head. Her nails and jewelry were just as colorful as her clothes- yellow and orange and green and purple and every color there was.

Link forced himself out of the lock and let in a deep gulp of air. He stood aback and studied the strange woman. She bashfully smiled and fluttered her eyelashes, then turned back to the crowd to call to her mate; "Oh, honeeey! Come take a look at who I found after all these years, won't you, Natal?!"

"Yes, Emmaus?" Another fairly large figure erupted from the crowd who knocked bystanders into the lake just like the woman did. Natal was slightly taller than Link and far more built, but still packed a large gut. He wore nothing but a muscle shirt that bore his strong, deep tan and hairy arms. Suspenders that were tightly thrown over his top were connected to his sepia trousers, which were stuffed into his charcoal tall boots. He also wore brass gauntlets on his arms. His maroon, curly, ducktail beard stuck out a little ways off of his square and defined jaw, and his dreadlocks that were tied into a pony tail stuck out far on the back of his head as well. His thick eyebrows drew over his eyes that refused to open. Natal looked like a gerudo war machine, but his personality was quite the opposite. The character didn't even bother to take a good look at Link before taking his son in a lock hold around the waist and pulling him into a strong hug. "My BOY!" The gerudo's voice bellowed loud and deep like thunder and echoed through the sky. "How good it is to see you!"

Link couldn't depart from Natal's grasp. He was far too strong for the feeble hero. During his desperate struggle to free himself, he began to contemplate whether these odd people were actually his parents. There was no way that that plump woman could have been his mother or a _gerudo_ his father. Link didn't have any gerudo blood in him! He expected his parents to be strong and gallant like himself, not some happy-go-lucky lazy couple. The man finally released Link, sending the hero stumbling backwards and falling into Lake Hylia's waters. He came back up with a splash and a breath and gawked at his parents. There was absolutely no possibility they could have been _them_. However, no one outside of Odron village had even known that Link lacked a mother and father, so this had to be them if they knew that he had been an orphan at some point…

"We've been searching for years," Emmaus answered as if Link had spoken his thoughts. "We finally settled down here a couple months ago after the monsters had disappeared- after we heard you were still alive. Your existence eased our sorrows." She took a few steps forward and held a warm and loving hand out to the hero who was still afloat in the cold water. "Please come live with us, my dearest son. We'll be sure to explain everything to you."

Link stared at the woman who puckered her lips into a big smile and he then stared down at her hand. It would have been rude to not have accepted the helping hand, so he firmly took it and was lifted easily back onto the dock. He stood up and removed his hat and squeezed the water out of it. Maybe these were his parents after all. He never exactly thought of who they might be or how they might act, so he couldn't really be surprised in who they were. He couldn't complain anyway; he finally found what he had been missing... supposedly. These were his parents, and he would love them for who they were. Link returned his hat to his head and began to grin warmly at Emmaus, then up at Natal, studying them.

Ilia watched silently from a distance. She as well as Link couldn't believe these were his parents. She thought they died or disappeared, or might not have even existed. They never seemed to actually be real, but these strangers claimed to be the parents standing right in front of him. Ilia would have liked to expose those frauds, but her childhood friend looked so tranquil standing in front of the deceitful couple. It would be wrong to dispose of his happiness. Unfortunately, she'd have to spoil it though somehow, or else he would be greatly hurt in the end.

She took a hold of Link's arm and dragged him away from them without a second thought. Her eyes glared into Link's innocent gaze in all of her suspicion. "You can't honestly believe these swindles are your parents," Ilia baffled, "One of them is all dark and red-headed and neither one of them even have blue eyes like you! They're just another set of fans, Link!"

Link frowned at her. His whole sole purpose of this quest was to find his parents, and then all of this trouble started brewing because she barged in on his journey. True, he probably wouldn't have known about the massive mess going around in Hyrule if she hadn't tagged along, but at least he would have been able to happily reunite with his parents without Ilia grouching about it. The stubborn hero huffed and looked down. Sure it was hard to believe these were his relatives, but he wanted to believe. There was no one ever to love him, and now he'd finally be able to feel what it was like to be loved.

Emmaus's footsteps shook the dock as she made her way to the two. "Oh, Link! Who might this be? Your girlfriend?" She asked as she neared Ilia's face.

Both Link and Ilia's cheeks brightened up with rose as they looked away from each other. The Ordonian girl clenched her fists and raised her nose high in the air in a snobby manner. "We're just friends!" The stubborn girl spat.

"Ohhh, I see!" The woman awed, disregarding Ilia's reluctance. She took a hold of Link's hand and began to drag him away from the girl. "You'll just love our little hut! We just built it. It has only two beds but we can sleep on the floor, if that's fine with you!" Emmaus went on and on about her house, not even stopping for a breath. She sure loved to rattle. Her words flew everywhere in every way and she went on about everything. Link was sure that it would get annoying after a while, but this was his mother and he would love her flaws nonetheless.

With mouths agape, the crowd stared at them in wonder, all remaining perfectly silent. They were just as dumbfounded as Link and Ilia, assuming that these couldn't have been the hero's parents. But they wouldn't say anything to spare the hero's feelings. Besides, they weren't even sure if these actually weren't his relatives, for they very well could have been. One of the others in the crowd could have just as easily claimed to be the legendary hero's mother or father, but it seemed as if they missed their golden opportunity.

Emmaus hauled Link to the boat he had just recently docked on land. Natal also followed. He began to untie the rope that was tied to the pole. His head then looked back at Ilia who kept a far distance from the strange couple, and the gerudo offered a warm and friendly smile, bearing all of his glistening teeth. "You are more than welcome to join us, m'lady! Any friend of Link's is a friend of ours," he assured, but Ilia only pouted and timidly stared as Natal placed his heavy foot into the boat, letting it sink into the water just slightly. Emmaus then stepped into the craft as well, letting the boat sink another few inches. Link also sat firmly in the packed vessel, but it didn't bother to sink even the slightest bit. Natal then pushed off from the dock with his oar and began to slowly but surely paddle away.

Ilia felt uncomfortable standing alone without Link by her side. She had no clue of how to leave that place or where her friend was going, and extremely needed her hero. "Wait," she begged as she rushed to the dock. They were already a little ways away from the dock, and she definitely had no intentions of jumping into the cold water and getting drenched again. "Come back! I want to come with you!" She called again. Natal stopped paddling and lifted his head to look at her with a knowing smile. Ilia clenched her fists and blushed, but decided to ignore the man's cocky attitude.

In a matter of no time, Ilia found herself seated solidly next to Link at the edge of the craft, the only place where room was left for them. Emmaus grinned intently at the young girl and waved her large paw at her. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist," she affectionately cooed, "After all, there's no possible way that a girlfriend would ever leave her boyfriend's side! Oh-ho-ho-ho!"

Ilia crossed her arms and childishly pouted once more and continued to do so throughout the remainder boat ride.

The vessel soon began to approach one of the large caves that were carved into the side of Lake Hylia's walls. This one was enormous, compared to the others. The structure most likely stretched 100 feet tall and 100 feet wide. The hole seemed much smaller while staring at it from a distance, but now that they came closer they realized that it wasn't small at all. A small dock extended from the shore of the cave with numerous other little boats attached to the poles. Natal stood from his seat and struggled to get himself off of the swaying boat, but finally managed to plant his feet on the wood of the dock. He then secured the rope onto one of the poles, smiling contently at his successful work. The gerudo bellowed an unnecessary laugh as he gripped onto his wife's hand and lifted her to the shore. "You two children will love this place! It is unlike any other cave you have ever seen!" Natal praised, throwing his arms high in the air. He didn't even wait for a comment before he merrily turned and marched inside the cavern with Emmaus joyfully trailing behind.

Link started off to follow, but Ilia stubbornly grabbed his arm to stop him. "What makes you think that we can trust these people?" She bickered. Link obstinately turned to look at her, masking an expression of great disapproval by her concerns. "You just met them, and you already believe that they're your parents! How do we know they're not some cannibalistic demons or something?"

Link's eyebrows creased into anger. He yanked his arm from her tight grip and began to stride forward again, disregarding her disrespectful words. In all honesty, he had no idea about these odd characters or who they claimed themselves to be, but it was always in his nature to give someone a chance. Even so, if these people really were cannibals, Link could easily defend himself from figures like these as long as he had his weapons. However, he extremely doubted they held the slightest bit of evil inside of them. If anything, Link knew people; he could see the good in anyone and knew that these self-claimed parents were quite the do-gooders. These were his parents, anyway. With as strong and pure of a heart that Link held, these people undoubtedly caressed kind hearts as well.

Ilia only stood and watched as her friend followed those strangers. Link was already brainwashed by the idea of having a family. Her heart sank, knowing she was doing him wrong by ripping away his happiness. She just didn't want him to get hurt, but was it really worth it? Would it be better to let him find out himself? Or maybe these people truly were his parents … Either way, the girl decided she would back off and let Link abide in all of this bestowed love, no matter the consequences. Her foot moved forward, followed by her other foot, and she soon found herself right behind Link's back again. Ilia opened her mouth to apologize, but feared that the hero wouldn't acknowledge her or would still be angry with her, so instead she remained silent.

Emmaus and Natal suddenly came to a halt. Emmaus turned and batted her large eyelashes at the two children and flaunted a puckered-lip smile. "This is it; welcome to the cave," she giggled. Emmaus and Natal moved their blocking bodies away and revealed what was behind themselves.

Link and Ilia were immediately struck with awe as they gazed at the towering cavern ceiling. Little huts and shacks were placed all over the ground and the walls all the way to the top of the cave. There were little ladders and steps that led up to high ledges where the homes were mounted, and wooden bridges would cross from one ledge to another. Green and golden lanterns were stringed to each hut, which lit up the blue cave so that everyone could see clearly, but the lanterns were filled with fire bugs and lightning bugs, rather than lantern oil. On the surface, people roamed blithely as they stopped and conversed with one another. Markets and stores were grounded on the floor closer to the walls where storekeepers widely smiled in attempt to reel in a customer. Link and Ilia moved out of the way as small children giggled and scattered across the open isle in between the markets and gladly chased each other.

This place was a blue sanctuary for all of these people, and it was all built in a matter of months- maybe a year at most. Link was highly impressed with everyone's work and the complexity of the village. The cave seemed as if it stretched on for miles with nothing but these wooden huts standing along the walls of the caves. Everything seemed so grand. His parents were right; he had never seen anything like it, and he had probably seen more than most. The village was absolutely luxurious in beauty; more beautiful than the depths of Zora's Domain.

Suddenly it dawned on him that he wouldn't have much time to spend in this unremarkably breathtaking sanctuary due to the fact that he had his duty to fulfill as the Hero of Hyrule. Time was of the essence, and he would have to retreat to Hyrule Castle as soon as possible to obtain the second piece of the triforce. Unfortunately as much as he would have liked to, Link would have to depart before becoming too comfortable to the habitat. But before he could even open his mouth to speak his mind, his mother already had him around the wrist and was dragging him away again.

"You'll just love our home!" Emmaus constantly told him. "It's a little bigger than all the rest of the homes and I'm sure you can imagine why."

And she was right. They approached a grand home that was four times the size of the other huts. It had a little porch and numerous lanterns surrounding the house. This particular abode was more built like a spacious cabin, rather than the shacks that lied close by. Natal marched up to the steps and swung the door open. Inside was a wooden round table, surrounded by at least five stools. At the furthest wall was a warm fireplace, except a fire wasn't lit. On either wall lied a maple door that led into another secretive room that Link was positive he'd be able to explore later. Maybe there was a kitchen and a bedroom on either side, or even a latrine. He wouldn't find out until later, however.

"Sit down, my boy!" Natal roared as he led Link to a chair and forced the child down by shoving on his shoulders. "You look famished. How about some nice tektite to settle that puny stomach of yours?" He offered, then turned back to call to Emmaus. "Why not get this hero something to eat, huh honey?"

Emmaus led Ilia to a seat as well and patted her back gently. She then rushed behind one of the doors and in not even a moment she returned with a steaming plate of tektite. The meal was slammed down onto the center of the table and she shoved plates in front of both of the consumers. "You'll absolutely adore my home cooking," she cheered, throwing on a chunk of tektite onto their platters. "Why, people come by all the time just begging for me to cook them something and I've never one had a complaint about my meals!" She then continued to blabber about all that she had created; how she made them and such. Natal also blasted his words over his wife's and occasionally laughed, although he couldn't clearly be heard.

Link was a little discouraged at first, having never tried foreign foods. Everything he ate was either pumpkin this or pumpkin that, since it was the women of Ordon's specialty. He dauntingly lifted his fork and knife and began to cut into the dead animal's meat. It sliced through like jelly and highly disgusted him. Ilia scowled as she observed him take a bite into the awful tektite, but strangely he looked extremely satisfied. He began to ravenously devour at his meal. Minutes hadn't even passed before he was already begging for more, which was rushed onto his plate.

"Come on. Eat up, sugar!" Emmaus coaxed as she moved up to Ilia. "You haven't even once touched your food! I know it may look a little unappetizing at first, but you'll love the taste as soon as you sink your teeth into that first bite! It's super juicy and seasoned I with-"

Ilia held up her hand to discontinue the woman from rambling again. "No, thank you! I have food in my bag and would rather finish that off first," Ilia stated with a shy laugh. Before Emmaus could protest, Ilia was already digging in her satchel for something to feed herself with. Unfortunately, the only thing he could find was a soggy loaf of bread. What had ever happened to all of the fruit she had packed? She disappointingly closed up her bag and sighed. "On second thought, I'm just not that hungry right now."

Emmaus hummed and nodded, throwing Ilia's scraps onto Link's plate, who merrily ate those too. "That's definitely our son," the mother noted as Natal threw his loving arm around her shoulders. "Oh, Link. We can't even begin to tell you how much we missed you! Well, me, actually. This is probably your first time meeting Natal in your life. You see… he isn't exactly your real father."

Link instantly stopped eating and looked up at her with his eyes in confusion, astonished by the abrupt statement. The warm mood had suddenly disappeared. The aura of the room no longer seemed merry or loving, but only cold and lonely. He quickly swallowed and leaned back in his chair, his appetite immediately leaving him.

Natal sat down in a seat across the table from Link and sorrowfully smiled. "Obviously by my gerudo features there is no possible way that I could be your father. You see, your real father passed away a little after you were born."

The hero blinked. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had finally found his parents, only to discover that his father was actually dead after all these years. It was as if someone had offered him a horse that he had begged for since he was a child, but when the time finally came to obtain it, they cut that horse in two and only gave him half and a replacement of a bag of apples. Or maybe it wasn't the same like that at all, but that was the best he could explain it. His spine began to tingle, and he felt as if he should speak up but found nothing to say. Everyone stared at him, thinking of how to comfort him. Ilia lifted her hand and placed it on her friend's back and gently rubbed him.

"We were going out on a picnic, you see," Emmaus started as she gazed down at her feet, "and all of a sudden, our precious little family was attacked by all of these scary monsters. We ran and ran, but I had been carrying you and I started to grow extremely tired. My husband at the time had noticed, and I guess he felt it was his duty as the father to protect his family … So he stopped and picked up a branch and defended us." She suddenly buried her hands in her face. "I didn't even bother to help him. I only kept running! One of the monsters started to gain on me, and I was so fearful that I wouldn't be able to protect you. I hid your little boy body inside one of the holes of a tree and kept running with the monster trailing after me. It finally grew tired of chasing, I suppose, and let me be." Her face lifted from her hands again, and her cheeks were oozing with tears and black makeup. "I went back to look for you, but I never found you. All I saw was… was… my husband's mangled body!" She suddenly shrieked and ran into the opposite door. They could hear her loud wails echo into the dining room.

Natal frowned as he watched the door with great concern. "It was not too long after that when I met her sobbing in the streets of Castle Town. She was all alone and looking very depressed, so I begged her to tell me of her sadness in hopes that I would be able to aid her. She did, but of course I had no idea how to help with a conflict like that, so I offered to take her to lunch to cheer her up. After that, we just sort of fell in love." A light smile flashed on his face and he lightly chuckled, but it quickly disappeared again. "We would always go in the forest to search for you, but it seemed more likely that one of the residents of the woods had gotten to you first, so we finally gave up after a long while. And here you are, easing all of her pain. She is so thankful that you have finally returned to her, and I am thankful as well." He now turned to Link and widely grinned at the boy, his natural mood returning to him. "You should not feel distraught, for you still have two parents that love you, even if I am not your real father! We love you greatly and will do anything to protect you from now on!"

They were all silent. Natal rose from his seat and made his way into the bedroom so that he could comfort Emmaus. Natal's kind words struck a new hope inside Link. The fact that these people cared for him so much proved that they were loving relatives, no matter who they were. The hero took a deep breath and shut his eyes. He finally found his parents- his passionate parents… and would quickly have to leave again to save Hyrule. Link only desired to stay with these people for as long as he could, but there was no time. He figured that while they were in the bedroom, he could escape to the boat and return to Hyrule field. Unfortunately, it would rip apart their sensitive hearts, but what else could he do?

Ilia concentrated on Link's troubled expression, wondering what was going through his head. "Link…?" Ilia whispered, lightly tapping on his shoulder. The hero opened his eyes and looked at her again. His eyes spoke more now that she could see them, and he looked greatly conflicted. Ilia wasn't sure what of, but there had to be something she could say to make him feel better. "I'm sorry that I disrespected you and your parents… these are very good people, and I was wrong to judge them." She smiled wide and bore her teeth at him. "You accept these benevolent people as your parents, so I will too! I just want you to be happy," she finally confessed, lightly blushing.

Link smiled back at her. It made him easy to know that she was finally relaxing. The hero stood from his seat and began to make his way outside without a word of gratitude. He just needed some alone time; some time to think everything through. Link quietly walked from the porch and stepped onto the ground of the cave. His eyes shifted to the lightning bugs that buzzed around in the jar, and then at the children who danced around in the market. This cavern was such a peaceful place that he desired to stay in, but he didn't have the time. The best choice was to leave his parents for a while, and then return to them after he defeated the corrupted force inside of Midna. Maybe he would leave by nightfall when everyone was asleep.

Ilia suddenly joined him, unknowing of his silent desires to be alone. She sat on the porch beside his feet, and Link joined her, deciding that she would be able to sooth his troubled thoughts of escaping.

"This is a wonderful place, Link," Ilia hummed with a soft smile on her lips. "It's too bad we won't have much time here, considering we have monsters to defeat." She turned to look at Link, who was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck again. The girl puffed out her cheeks. "Oh, don't you dare pull that shy-boy act! You're not thinking about running off on your own again, are you? We're a team, remember?" Ilia pouted, childishly gripping onto his arm. She relaxed when Link chuckled, but still wasn't sure if he was joking or not. "Well, don't play with me. I don't care what you say. I'm going on that adventure with you, Link!"

Link was just about to reply when suddenly Emmaus burst in laughter behind them as if she never experienced the recent traumatic episode. "Look at the cute couple, flirting away on our porch. How romantic!" She crowed, patting her husband's chest. She suddenly noticed Link's clothes and wound for the first time and deeply frowned, becoming extremely doleful. "Oh, my dearest son. You're all bloody and ripped up! I'll get you some of Natal's clothes to wear and then I'll wash and repair your clothes and they'll be good as new again!" She rushed back inside before anyone could comment and returned with an overly large shirt and pants. "Hurry, put these on!"

"No, Emmaus. That is not going to fit. Go out and buy something for him, something that he can wear. I'll work on repairing that nasty gouge on his leg," Natal informed. He startled Link by throwing his large arms under Link's body and carried him back inside.

Emmaus agreed to the idea, and her smile immediately returned as she looked at Ilia. "This means that you and I can go shopping together!" She shouted, grabbing Ilia's arm and dragging her into the market. Ilia did her best to pull free, but finally just gave up and loosened to the idea. It would be best to just agree with the crazed woman.

* * *

**Unfortunately I've become extremely busy, so chapters will be delayed from now on. Hopefully, not so often. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to post a new chapter every other day... or every two days. Whichever works, right? Thank you so much for your patience, only to arrive to an uneventful chapter. The next one will be so much more exciting. Promise!**


	7. Monstrous Festival

Chapter Seven: Monstrous Festival

In a matter of no time, Link found himself standing in the dining room fully dressed in the new vibrant and bright colored clothes that his parents had bought for him, and his wound was all sealed up with a stitch once more. He felt embarrassed by what Ilia and Emmaus had picked out for him, considering all of the childish patterns and that it slightly didn't fit, but he wasn't about to get picky with their kindness. After all, they were doing him a favor; washing and fixing his clothes again. The least he could do was enjoy what they had done for him. They were portraying all the love that parents could give to him, and it made him feel good inside. If there was anything that he would have liked to have protested, it was the removal of his hat. He felt empty without it, but he wouldn't dare say anything to them.

"Ohhh, don't you just look so darling!" Emmaus squealed as she pinched his cheek, but he didn't flinch or pull away; he only smiled at his mother. "We should take you outside so that more people can see it!"

Oh no, that was certainly not going to happen. As grateful as Link felt about the free clothes, he definitely didn't desire anyone to view him in those childish, unfitting-of-a-hero clothing. He was only waiting for his uniform to be repaired and then he would quickly depart. He had no time to play around, anyway. Maybe instead of wasting time, he would go off and visit the Spirit of Lanayru to see what advice the deity would bestow.

"Ohhh," Natal hummed, crossing his large gerudo arms. "I hear that the zoras are throwing their annual fireworks festival tonight. I would love to take the two to see it, if they have not already."

Ilia's eyes widened in wonder and she quickly jerked her head to look back at Link. "A festival, Link! Please, may we go?" She begged, even so he didn't seem completely up to the idea. She had never been to a festival before, but always read about them in stories and heard the tales from outsiders. The idea of great foreign food and beautiful flashing lights and performers excited her, and there was no possible way that she was going to back away from this idea, no matter what her friend said. He looked extremely uneasy, but that didn't stop her from what she wanted. The girl grabbed his hands and squeezed them slightly. "Oh, please, Link! It's only one night. If you're lucky, maybe people won't recognize you," she coaxed, and it seemed as if it was becoming successful. "They'll be expecting a hero in green, not some boy in purple and blue and other bright colors."

The hero took a deep and frustrated breath through his nose. Despite that he still needed his original clothing, he supposed that he could afford one night to spare some fun. Besides, he was a hero, and even heroes needed to take a break every now and then. It seemed that Ilia would need a break as well. Link stubbornly nodded, and the girl immediately threw her arms around his neck in thanks. Emmaus smiled at the couple, and she soon waltzed over for a hug too, and then Natal joined his family in the embrace as well, accidentally crushing the trio.

* * *

The dark of the night crept into the skies. Stars could easily be seen from the surface of the water. Ribbons were tied onto the docks and on boats and on the giant ride and everywhere else in the lake of Hylia. Festival lights were attached to high spokes and people were dressed up in all sorts of bright colored costumes, which thankfully helped Link fit into the crowd. Boats were placed all across the water where people were placed inside, ready to get a good look at the fireworks that would be thrust into the air in a short amount of time. Emmaus and Natal sat in one craft with a rope tied to it, and that string was connected to Link and Ilia's boat that drifted a little ways off. They didn't want to get lost in the crowd of vessels, but they also didn't want to all be stuck in one tight boat together, so this was definitely a better resolution. Other boats had caught onto the idea and did the same.

Ilia stared up at the sky in wonder. "Oh, I've never seen fireworks! This is going to be so exciting! I can't wait," she cheered, eccentrically kicking her feet. She felt her face flush in embarrassment, but she was too ecstatic to care about how she portrayed herself. For the sky to light up in splashes of colors was a divine gift that only such graceful creatures such as zoras could produce. Who knew that they were so experienced with the works of fire?

Link stared at her in content. It warmed his heart to see her smiling and laughing again after all of the horrific events that they had been through together in a matter of days. She had already seen far too much for such an innocent girl like herself, and it just didn't seem right. However, her joy ceased to depart from her, which renewed Link's hopes. He only begged that everything she would witness later wouldn't corrupt her happy-go-lucky spirit. The two could only hope to bask in the gleeful moment that they had together before they again started off on their difficult and violent journey. He returned her smile and too gazed up at the sky, waiting for the breathtaking event to begin.

"You two had better not throw yourselves onto each other!" Emmaus called through her cupped hands so that they could hear well. "There are children out here!" The two looked back only for a moment before laughing, not taking the woman seriously at all.

Natal smiled and rubbed his wife's shoulder. "Oh, you leave those two lovebirds alone. They are not going to cause any trouble." He scooted closer to Emmaus, causing the boat to sink to one side. "We, on the other hand, might brew a little trouble."

Emmaus' face turned a deep shade of red and she began to wildly giggle as Natal brushed her hair from her face and moved in closer.

"Hey, Link…" Ilia suddenly whispered, breaking their silence. Link's eyes moved from the dark sky to her face. The moon's glistening blue light did well for her beautiful complexion. "I… I want to stay like this forever, just sitting by you… and star gazing. It's relaxing." A smile creased upon her lips and she slowly looked down to make eye contact with Link, but he was now staring into the water. Perhaps she made him feel uncomfortable with her sudden jolt of romance; or maybe he just wasn't listening.

Link only stared deep into the water, not wishing to say a word. He wasn't quite sure if Ilia was flirting with him or just making a statement. In order to spare either his or her feelings, he just silently gazed at the zoras that swam by to and fro, getting ready for the celebration. Maybe if he was lucky, she wouldn't say anything either and then things wouldn't become so awkward. He could feel his face turning crimson from her dally statement, and he looked up at the sky again in hopes that the breeze would cool him down a little. Link wondered if she could see the red on his face in the blue of the night, and his heart started to beat faster. He began to feel extremely uneasy sitting next to his childhood friend, who seemed to be in some sort of eccentric, romantic and uncommon mood.

Ilia realized she made him feel anxious, but couldn't help but giggle from his social awkwardness. "You need to start speaking up," she encouraged. The hero shyly chuckled. She looked up at the sky again, awaiting for the show to start.

All of a sudden, all of the boats began to rock. Whispers started rising from the crowd, followed by hoots and hollers. A sudden sound of explosion erupted from somewhere in the distance, but it didn't come from the sky like expected. Just when everyone was about to rise in panic, they could see colorful flashing lights appear underwater. Everyone began to gaze in awe and gawk at the vibrant underwater fireworks. The sight was extraordinary. Flashes and patterns of yellow and orange and pink and every other color danced beneath the surface that lit up the entire lake. Occasionally, a rocket would be shot from the water and would speed right into the sky, blowing up into a million picturesque pieces, sometimes forming some sort of shape or object. Little bits of twinkling stars would fall back onto the pool, disappearing once hitting the water, and the audience's eyes would be brought back to the show being performed underwater.

Loud, blithe music burst from shore that set everyone in a greater mood. People laughed and rocked inside of their boats, while others jumped into the water and swam around, although it probably wasn't the safest decision with all the exploding fireworks about. Ilia leaned over the side of the boat and giggled as she watched people dive into the water. "Let's go swimming, Link! That was going to be our sole purpose and we haven't done it yet!" She shouted. But before Link could stop her, she was already in the lake.

Link's chest jumped as he looked over the edge to spot where she went, but the vibrancy of the underwater lights made it hard to look around. She wasn't coming back up to the surface, and he couldn't see her. His heart raced, wondering if he should jump in after her. Just as he was about to do so, an arm revealed itself from the water, grabbed his wrist and pulled him out of the boat, sending him splashing into the pool. His head immediately came up for air, Ilia appearing right next to him. She innocently giggled and splashed water into his face, but he didn't exactly feel amused after that rush of panic. He cupped his hands together and splashed her in the face as well, letting out a light and merry chuckle afterwards once realizing the humor in it.

Ilia began to swim away from him, and Link eagerly chased after her. Crowds of people all splashed around in the water and shouted and laughed. Lake Hylia was a festive place of no worries. It was a tranquil sanctuary for everyone who desired a good vacation. People forgot of their responsibilities and troubles and only experienced the greatest joy that the lake had granted them. It was a place of peace and happiness. Link would be sure to bring the entire village to the festival next year, after he defeated Zant again.

The Zora Temple's entrance had long since been blockaded due the rapid increase in monsters that had been roaming about, and by that entrance was a certain fireworks bomb that wouldn't spark. The zoras did everything they could to light it, but it wouldn't seem to turn on. Just when they thought they'd give up, it began to rumble. It rapidly swayed from side to side, and began to shiver quicker and quicker. The zoras knew that something awful was about to happen, so they quickly fled the scene and headed for the surface. Just as they reached the top, the bomb burst underneath, producing a greater explosion than it was supposed to. The destruction was so wild that it caused the blockades on the entrance to crumble; all of the hard work having gone to waste. One of the zoras noticed this and panicked. It hasted to the surface and started shoving on people. "Get out of the water," it fiercely warned. "Hurry!"

But they wouldn't listen. They were so caught up in their excitement that they only laughed harder and splashed their friendly host. The zoras heeded warning and perched themselves inside the empty boats and onto shore again. Some of the other zoras latched onto the swimming people and heaved them either back onto the crafts or took them back to land. The guests grew angry and shoved back on the zoras, but quickly relaxed after hearing what had happened. Everyone started to become frantic and they all started shouting and shrieking in fear as they clawed at boats with passengers inside and forced themselves into the vessel. The voyagers pushed back on the swimmers, not wanting to be crowded in their boats or flipped over, but it seemed that the more they struggled, the more that the boat would turn until it finally flipped or sunk.

The cries became so loud that people could scarcely hear each other anymore. Link studied the guests' facial expressions and realized that there was a dire situation going about and tugged on Ilia's arm, who was paying no mind to the destruction. In one moment, she was giggling and smiling, but those feelings immediately disappeared as she looked into Link's earnest eyes. "What's wrong?" She asked, now dreaded with apprehension. Her question wasn't heard although he could clearly see her lips move. The hero didn't answer as he tugged on her arm again and brought her to a turned boat. She crawled on top and helped the hero up as well, and they gazed deep into the water to see what was roaming underneath.

From the entrance, enemies began to uncontrollably pour out of the inside of the Zora Temple. A deadly bolt of electricity lit up around the jellyfish-like baris, and shell blades widely opened their mouths as they hopped into the open waters. Skull and bombfish raced out of the exit and began to slowly but surely make their way to the surface to bite at the remaining swimmers who wildly kicked their feet to flee the water. Red and blue tektites also floated to the surface at a rapid pace, kicking their feet for a shorter trip. The octoroks flapped their tentacles as hard as they could to gather around the innocent crowd of dwelling people. They showed no mercy in shooting pellets at the helpless swimmers.

A sudden thought cross Link's mind; where were his parents? Link jerked his head around every which way in hopes to even catch a glimpse of them. He spotted Natal and Emmaus huddling closely to each other as a tektite began to approach them. "Get away from my wife!" Natal warned as he implanted his fist into the incoming enemy's face. It instantly crippled up and sank beneath the water. "Link! Where are you?" He yelled through the cup of his hands. Another tektite jumped at him and he threw his other fist into its hard shell.

Link called back to them, but his voice was lighter and didn't manage to reach the couple. He had to get to them somehow. He couldn't afford to let his family get hurt. But the hero couldn't abandon Ilia, either. What was he to do?

A sudden octorok revealed itself on the surface and started to shoot pellets at them. Link went to take a hold of his shield to block but realized he wasn't equipped with it, or any of his weapons for that matter. The pellet landed awfully close to Ilia, who let out a gasp. The octopus-like enemy then shot another pellet that sped straight for Ilia. Link panicked. He couldn't let his friend get hit. The hero moved so that he was now on top of her and took a tight hold around her waist, and the pellet quickly marked him in his back. He grimaced at the pain, but it wasn't extreme. Another pellet was struck into his backside, followed by another. They left deep bruises on his back, and he couldn't afford to keep getting hit like that. He decided to do the unthinkable; the Hylian gripped on Ilia's waist and dragged her into the water. He was heading straight for the caves, the closest location to them.

Link forced his arms to shred through the water as he also shoved on Ilia's backside, forcing the slow girl to move at a faster pace. He had to get to his weapons if he even desired to defeat any of those enemies. He turned his head backwards to see a school of skullfish trailing behind him. Link's skin tingled and he stroked faster while still shoving on Ilia's backside. However, he soon began to pass her up. He grabbed her arms and placed them so that she was hugging him around his neck and his flailing arms started to move faster than ever before. Ilia let out a shriek as she turned to look back at the straining foes, but the hero just managed to stay to of their reach.

Just as one of the skullfish caught up to their speed, Link and Ilia tossed themselves up onto the dock. Link wasted no time in retreating through the cave to retrieve his things. He unashamedly shoved people out of his way as he dashed through the crowded street, making his way back into the house. Unfortunately, his items couldn't be seen in the home. Everything was completely unorganized; clothes and books trashed the floor. His feet quickly moved into the bedroom, and to his good luck he found his clothes and weapons piled neatly on top of a nightstand. Without second thought, his hands snatched the items and he booked it to the outside again. His legs took him as fast as they could as he raced back to the dock, people watching him both in fear and in curiosity while the Hero of Hyrule dashed by. Link was quickly approaching Ilia, who hastily stepped out of his way so that she wouldn't get herself trampled.

"Link, you're not thinking about going back out there with those monsters, are you?" She asked, completely dumbfounded by his courageous nature. However, she remained unanswered. Instead, Link made momentary eye contact with her. He gave her a look that meant he deemed her worthy of a difficult task and trusted her with something valuable; protecting his life. A bow and arrows and quiver were tossed her way, which she almost dropped all at once. Now she could only helplessly watch as the hero dived deep into the icy lake, a splash of water stretching high into the air. As of that moment, that moment that Link had looked deep through into her soul, it became her responsibility to protect him from incoming enemies, to protect him from getting hurt, to protect him from being torn apart. That was what she was there for, right? To be his partner? To aid him when he was in need? And now Link finally trusted her with that weighty purpose. This was what she wanted, wasn't it?

Ilia's spine shivered as she aimed the bow and arrow at one of the skullfish that were closely chasing behind her friend whose head had just popped above the water again. It was hard to see due to the darkness and the fish was moving so rapidly. She began to doubt that she would be able to strike the animal. In one quick movement, the arrow was thrust deep into the waters, and to her surprise it actually struck the fish through its body. She had actually hit something from so far away. Now highly pleased with her success, she made it her duty to constantly shoot at enemies, which she managed to kill almost every time.

Link found no trouble slicing his blade through the depths of the lake, cutting countless monsters that made their way in his direction to attack him. It seemed as if they would never end; as soon as he finished destroying a bari, an octorok would make its appearance and shoot a speeding pellet at him, which the hero would instinctively block. And whenever he completed the death of a shell blade, a bombfish would flaunt its horrific teeth, but the hero knew to shoot a deku nut before it exploded by him. Every now and then, a lucky arrow would bullet through one of the fiends, and its blood would immediately spread through the water, giving Link a break from all of the violent work. Unfortunately, that would only attract more monsters towards him, but it was far better that they attacked him and not the innocent zoras or Hylians. However, he had to swim back to the surface for air, which would cause the monsters to follow him. He had to be quick about his traveling and his killing so that no one else would get hurt.

The hero raced for the surface yet again for another breath. His arms and legs were growing weary from the constant swimming movements. Had he been on land, all he would have to do was jump out of the way here and there. But he was in the water, and he was moving at all times. His attacks grew weaker and slower as he aimed to strike at an enemy, but it would dodge with ease and swim away. Link knew he had to conserve his energy; he forced himself into one of the rocking abandoned boats and fell inside, lying down on his back so that he could rest. His breaths drew heavy. He shut his eyes. He had no desires to go back into the water, but he had to in order to rescue everyone. The zoras depended on Link to rid the lake of monsters; it was their home, after all. And most of the people couldn't return to their caves in a boat without an enemy attacking them. The hero forced himself into a sitting position and stared at the rippling surface. People docked on land were still pointlessly screaming, and others in boats were hysterically wailing as they did their best to keep away from enemies.

Link gripped tightly onto his sword. He stood in his boat, but just as he was about to dive in, he heard a dreadful, familiar piercing cry; his mother. Link's eyes drew to his right where he could see his parents huddled together on a boat. Natal had been bitten on his arm by something. Emmaus took off her shawl and began to wrap it around the injury, but it only caused the craft to rock even more due to Natal's struggling. A huge chunk of flesh was missing from his body. Blood was flowing from the wound into the lake, which would easily attract more monsters. Link had to act quickly so that his beloved family wouldn't be harmed any more than they already were.

Link looked back at Ilia who thumbed him up, and he dived back into the water, knowing well of his safety.

An octorok dashed its way to the boat in which Natal and Emmaus sat, and Link was far from hesitant when it came to slicing the enemy in two. Several skullfish surrounded the bottom of the boat, eating away at the wood and attempting to jump and bite the innocent couple. Link took his sword and did a quick, difficult spin underwater. All of the nearby fish fell dead due to the impact. The hero appeared on the surface once more, looking directly at his parents. Emmaus noticed her son and widely smiled through her tears. "Thank the gods for your safety! Please, my boy, get us back to shore!" She sobbed.

He didn't even need instructions; he had already taken a hold of the rope and was pulling his family back to the docks. However to his disadvantage, enemies attempted to bite and claw at him so he had to use a free hand to defend himself. They constantly came for the smell of Natal's blood. The hero's muscles began to ache thanks to all of the excessive work being labored. His blade was beginning to slow again as he attempted to thrash through enemies. Thankfully, Ilia was still thrusting arrows into foes, but she was bound to run out at some point. The hero could only hope that they would last until they reached shore.

A ferocious bari started to approach the hero, its electrical circuit winding about its tentacles as it swayed side to side in a menacing manner, prepared to strike at any moment. Link could clearly see it making its way, the string of lightning violently stretching across its body. How was he to fight this threatening beast while carrying his family to shore? He couldn't dare to tap it with his steel sword that would conduct the electricity and shock him. His hand let go of the rope and he pulled out his shield just as the bari went to whack at Link with its tentacle. A surge of lightning went every which away except for Link's direction, which was protected by the almighty shield. The gratifying blockade allowed Link to retreat to the surface for a breath of air, and he sank below again once feeling refreshed.

As soon as the electricity died down, the hero attempted to slice at the jellyfish, but it was far too quick and had already dodged the attack. The enemy soon honed in again and was already shooting another deadly thunderbolt, but again it was blocked by the shield. Where were Ilia's sacred arrows when needed most? It seemed as if she had finally run short, so Link would have to handle things on his own accord from then on. The bari's lightning died down once more, and the hero wasted no time or effort in striking his blade forward, impacting the creature at the edge of its head. The tentacles flailed about until it finally lied still. Link kicked the creature off of his weapon and grabbed the boat's rope once more, tugging it to shore. He went up for another gulp of air, but something suddenly took a hold of his leg, and he frantically turned to see that the bari was still alive and latched on to his ankle. He didn't even have time to spare before the jellyfish lit up with sparks, sending a piercing jolt up Link's foot, leg, torso, and spreading to the rest of his body.

He let out a cry of pain, and then accidentally sucked in water due to his fear. He coughed and went for the surface again, but the bleeding bari only pulled him down and shocked him again. The hero had had enough. He gripped firmly onto his sword in his time of need and sliced the blade right through its tentacle, no matter how much more the bolt would effect him thanks to the steel. Another string of electricity raced through Link's body, even though the bari was now detached, and the hero cried again in pain more powerful than before. That last jolt of lightning was absolutely unbearable; Link could feel his mind slipping. The air was now rapidly leaving his lungs and was being replaced by water. His vision immediately blurred. His eyes came to a close and he began to float amidst the water.

"Why does the boat keep stopping?" Emmaus wailed as if someone would answer her. She looked back at Natal, who seemed to grow pale from the loss of blood. "Don't worry, Natal. Link is bringing us to safety. The doctor is sure to be on shore and he'll patch you right up," she attempted to encourage, but it didn't seem to enthuse anyone at all.

The boat had remained unmoved for a while, and she hadn't seen her beloved son's face in the time being. She began to feel unutterably distressed, wondering where her son was. "That Link sure has been underwater for a while…" she thought aloud in hopes that Natal had some sort of wise words, but all he could manage were silent gasps. "You don't think he… drowned, did you?" She spoke again, her voice shivering as she turned to look back at Natal. Her eyes immediately widened. Behind Natal's large figure was a drifting body, its back covered in clothes that she had recently bought for a certain someone. "My child!" She shrieked, rocking the boat as she moved herself around Natal. Her frenetic hand extended towards the hero's clothes and she dragged him onto the boat. He was unconscious, or so she only hoped.

Natal looked down at the hero and feared the worst as well as his wife, who hovered over the limp body and wailed dreadfully into the air. The gerudo had already reached a splitting headache, and Emmaus wasn't making the situation any better. "Emmaus… move," he bluntly commanded, releasing his wound. However, the large Hylian hadn't heard him over her piercing cries. "Emmaus, move!" Natal commanded again, quickly growing impatient. His eyebrow twitched and he began to deeply scowl. "Emmaus, MOVE," he roared like thunder as he raised his weighty fist up high. A moment hadn't even passed by; Emmaus leaped to the other side of the boat and Natal's fist swooped from the air and came heavily crashing down on Link's chest.

Link's eyes suddenly popped open. He sat up and spat water out of his bruised lungs like a hose. To think that he had almost drowned was absolutely horrific, and to top it off he now felt as if his chest had been crushed. He coughed and coughed as Emmaus tenderly rubbed his back. "My poor baby," she howled, throwing her son into a tight hug. "I thought I had lost you!"

Link shoved her off of himself. As dazed as he was, he still knew didn't have time to cuddle. The hero stood up, almost losing balance from the sudden awake and the rocking of the boat, and dived back into the water. His hands grabbed onto the rope again and he began to shred through the water, working as hard as he could to bring his family back to shore. It seemed as if all the enemies had disappeared, for nothing had disturbed him at that point once he finally reached the dock. Everyone crowded around and helped the husky couple onto the island, and Fyer clawed at Link's arms to drag him onto solid ground again.

"You did it!" Fyer cheered, patting on Link's back. "I don't know what you did, but you did it! All of the monsters are gone!"

Link's eyes narrowed in doubt. His breaths were heavy after all of the difficult labor, and he knew more breaths wouldn't be spared. There were still tons of monsters roaming about in the depths of Lake Hylia, that he knew, but what he didn't know was exactly where. There had to be some sort of trick. The zoras couldn't have possibly destroyed them all with their lack of weapons. Something must have happened that caused the monsters to flee.

All of a sudden, a loud, echoing screech trickled into the sky from the bowels of the Water Temple. It was a screech that Link distinctly recognized, for he had fought it only one other time, and that was on his last visit to the lake. He turned to face the lake again and could see tiny bubbles racing to the surface. The bubbles were followed by more bubbles and more bubbles, until a monster finally revealed itself from the depths of the pool; a ferocious and malevolent fiend, stretching its body across the lake, its back momentarily surfacing and sinking under again. Another shrill screech rose to the heavens. Morpheel, the Twilit Aquatic, had risen from its slumber.

* * *

**I know this chapter took a little longer to come out, but I've been busy. Sorry! Chapters might become more and more delayed ...**

**Sooo~ I hadn't originally planned for all of those monsters to appear, but I wanted the story to drag on a little, so there you go. Primarily, the plan was to have Link _just_ fight Morpheel. Then I got a writer's block while writing this chapter because I hadn't planned anything out asgfksd. But it was definitely fun. Hopefully the next chapter will be easy to write, and maybe it won't be so delayed... maybe. Critiques and reviews are greatly welcome and admired! Thank you.**


	8. Who Could Hurt a Hero?

Chapter Eight: Who Could Hurt a Hero?

Link tightly gripped his sword and gazed at the nightmarish beast that ransacked through the open waters, rushing into the island from far beneath the surface. Another screech echoed into the night sky that put everyone into a frenzied panic, and they all began to flee the scene onto higher ground, frantically shoving commoners out of their way. However, the hero only glared at it, knowing it could do no real harm unless it could mount itself on land, which was a great impossibility. Instead, he approached the edge of the shore and stared into the water. Despite that it couldn't do any damage the way it was, it would be sure to wreak havoc underwater, making trouble for the zoras who practically lived beneath the surface. Link knew he would have to dive down there and destroy it like he had in the past; he only wished he had his zora suit to better aid him with breathing underwater.

The hero was just about to dive into the depths when a sudden hand took a taut hold on his arm and started dragging him away. It was Emmaus, and she looked far beyond grieved. "We have to get to higher ground! Natal was already taken ahead!" She yelled over the crowd, taking a tighter grip on her son. Link's feet skid on the ground as he resisted her hold. He pulled and jerked and wriggled in attempt to free himself, and finally managed to slip his arm out of her hand. Emmaus turned to look at him, her eyes wide in anxiety. "What are you doing?! It's too dangerous out here!"

Crowds of apprehensive people rushed past them as Emmaus and Link stood still, looking each other in the eyes. Link took a step backwards towards the lake. It was his job as the Hero of Hyrule to protect anyone in danger. Of course it was only natural for his mother to want to protect him, but Link could take care of himself. Only how was he to explain that to his caretaker who had only just reunited with him that day? She would probably be worried that he would die in battle. But if it happened, then so be it. That was the life of a hero, risking their lives for the innocent, no matter what his parents felt about the situation. He only hoped that he would truly survive…

"Please, Link, don't feel like you have to fight that monster. The zora soldiers can handle it," she coaxed, moving towards him. She took a hold of his hands and gazed up at him. "You're still so young… and you've seen so many things. I know you could destroy that wild monster, but I don't want to see you getting hurt. You shouldn't feel as if you have to protect all of these people … You shouldn't feel as if you have to protect me and Natal …" She suddenly turned her eyes to the floor and slipped her hands out of Link's, as if in regret. "Link, I'm not your real mother."

Link's heart dropped. His eyes narrowed in wonder and he took a few steps back again.

"If you wait a moment, I'll explain everything to you!" Emmaus protested, walking towards him once more.

A sudden crash that caused them to fall down interrupted their conversation. The twilit aquatic had slammed into the island again, causing the shore to rumble once more. Screams erupted even louder than before and everyone became even more fearful, although most of the public was up on higher grounds so they had no reason to be scared.

Link immediately stood up and dashed for the lake. He couldn't waste any more time fooling around in idle discourse. All he could feel was utter ire due to the callous deceit that Emmaus and Natal portrayed. He needed something to take out his fury on, and thankfully the twilit aquatic had made its appearance. Not to mention that it was wreaking the place, and he had to do whatever it took to protect the good public.

The hero took a deep breath before diving into the chill waters. He could see Morpheel raging about as it twisted and spun in the bowels of the lake. It screamed and roared as it constantly smashed against everything near it. The creature seemed to be far tetchier than the previous encounter, but why? There was no time to ask folly questions; Link forced himself to sink deeper and deeper. Everything grew entirely dark, and he suddenly felt himself running out of breath. Morpheel was too deep to reach, so Link would have to wait for it to rise again. The hero raced for the surface, kicking his arms and legs as fast as he could. He soon emerged at the surface, letting in deep gulps of air.

Something suddenly hooked itself onto his leg. Sharp teeth dug into the wound that had been resealed only a few hours ago. Link kicked his leg and stabbed at the unknown creature with his sword. He finally managed to kill it, and a skullfish rose to the top of the water. Blood began to flow everywhere, and Link wasn't sure whether that was his blood or the fish's blood. Oddly enough, his leg wasn't in any sort of pain, which could have been due to the adrenaline. All of a sudden, flocks of neighboring skullfish began to tear and rip at the dead fish. Link felt it would be wiser to make a quick depart from the scene.

Link's arms took him as fast as they could to the caves to retrieve his zora suit in order to aid him in battle. He could see Ilia coming nearer in a boat. She waved her arm at him and put it back down again to paddle. It wasn't long before Link came close to the boat and threw himself inside on his back to rest. He soon lifted himself to a sitting position and studied his leg, examining the injuries. To his great fortune, the skullfish had only managed to rip his clothes and scratch up his leg just a little. He then looked up again, noticing that Ilia was heading for the island. Link hasted to take the oars and immediately began to row the boat in the opposite direction toward the caves.

"What are you doing? We have to get to those other people and see if they're alright!" Ilia pouted, but Link paid no mind to her. "The people at the caves are fine, I'm telling you! Take me to the island!" But he still didn't listen. "What about your parents? At least tell me they're safe!"

Link's eyebrows creased into anger. He turned his head to look at the caves so he could get a better view of them but could only see from the corner of his eyes. He then worked his muscles with more force to paddle quicker and quicker, no matter how sore he felt from the constant movement he had done all night. It managed to distract him from those disappointing thoughts, anyhow.

Ilia could tell something was bothering him, but she wasn't sure what it was. She observed his body language, the way he seemed to violently move the oars. Ilia scooted closer to him. "Link, what's wrong?" She asked with concern tinted in her voice. The hero refused to look back at her. "Link, tell me! Are Emmaus and Natal alright?" Still no answer; only slightly more aggression. "Why won't you reply?" She now began to rise in panic, wondering what could have possibly happened that could have made Link like this. Maybe he was so focused on his goal to kill the monster that he couldn't hear her. Or maybe something terrible had happened to his parents. Either way, she knew she would have to get through to him somehow to break him from whatever awful thoughts were crossing his mind. "Link!" She suddenly shouted. Her hand shot forward and slapped him so that he would face her.

He suddenly stopped paddling. A look of shock marked the hero's face, along with a mark on his cheek. Ilia's hand came forward again, only this time more gentle as she tenderly caressed his burning, red-stained face. Link lifted his hand to grab hers and he slightly squeezed it. His eyes fell to the floor of the boat, not wanting to look at her anymore. Although it was a rude awakening, he was glad that she was there to wake him from his thoughts.

"So…" Ilia whispered. "What's wrong? Did something happen? Are your parents okay?"

Link took a deep breath through his nose, not wanting to remember anything that happened throughout the day. The greatest moment of his life was discovered earlier in the day only to be brought down into reality again; he had no family. He couldn't fathom why a couple of random strangers would lie to him like that; why they would hurt someone they didn't even know. He was filled with the utmost joy to finally reunite with his parents… only to find out that they were fake. He should have known by the way they were. Besides, Rusl had said his parents were somewhere off in Castle Town, so why did he believe these strangers? But it was already too late; his idiocy had already made its mark with these swindlers. Of course he suspected in the beginning that they were frauds, but he didn't want to believe it. He was just happy to find someone who claimed him, so he innocently fell into their loving grasp. But he deeply regretted it.

Ilia studied his facial expression. She brought her fingers away from his face and set it onto his lap, now holding onto his hands with her hands. "Link… did they die?" She asked, her voice quivering. Link slowly shook his head, and she instantly felt relieved. However, that could only mean one thing, and she knew exactly what it was. "So you found out," she mumbled. Link slowly nodded. "… I'm sorry." She began to gently brush his hands to pacify her poor friend. It was definitely a dreadful thing to discover. She tried to tell him but he was far too stubborn and chose to believe the unbelievable. The consequence of his tenacious nature resulted in anguish and regret, but there was nothing anyone could do for him. He would heal in due time, but for now her friend would live with nothing but despair. She could only hope that he would cheer up soon.

"You should be grateful, though," Ilia suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. "You have a whole village that loves you and treats you like their own. I only have my papa … Mama died when I was extremely little … But there's a chance that your mama might still be out there somewhere, and your papa too. On the other hand if you never meet them, just remember that you'll always have us." She stopped stroking his hands, and the hero suddenly looked up at her. Ilia wistfully smiled at him, and he returned it with an almost unnoticeable grin. Her words didn't make him feel any better.

All of a sudden, the boat began to violently rock, and a howling screech vibrated the water. Morpheel was coming. Link took hold of the oars again and began to paddle back to the caves. Originally, he would have jumped right in to take care of that monster, but now he had to be extra careful while Ilia was sitting on the battleground with him. He rowed the paddles as fast and as hard as he could, roughly making his way for the docks. It was much harder paddling when the lake was rippling, but there was nothing to stop them. He could see the twilit aquatic swimming about beneath them, and then disappearing again. The hero's skin crawled. If it wanted to, it could easily tear up the boat to shreds.

And as he predicted, it touched its back on the bottom of the boat, causing the craft to severely rock around. The couple screamed and gripped onto the edges of the boat, desperately wishing not to fall into the murky waters with the vicious beast. Link couldn't wait anymore. He had to act then or else something dire would happen. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to supervise Ilia; to make sure she was absolutely safe. But if he didn't jump in at that moment, something dreadful was bound to take place.

The enemy began to resurface once more excessively close to their craft. Link stood up in the boat, as much as it was shaking, and jumped onto the back of his foe. He then lifted his master sword high above his head and stabbed it into its backside, using the weapon to latch on so that he wouldn't fly off. Nonetheless, Morpheel let out an utter cry and began to twist and turn. Link held on for dear life, crouching down and clawing desperately onto the handle of the blade. All of the turning only caused the gash in the enemy's back to grow larger. A deep, purple ooze started to spew from the wound. The sword began to slip out of the gauge. Link's heart was pounding. He quickly lifted the sword again, stumbled backwards, planted the blade into a different spot, and crouched down again while still keeping his balance.

The monster screamed once more. Without notice, it dived down deep into the lake. Link held his breath. From where he was he could clearly see the horns and large fins sticking out of the creature's back. This sprouted an idea in Link's head. He sheathed his sword with difficulty underwater and rapidly clutched onto the one of the small horns. He then moved one arm forward, grabbing the horn in front of him. He was climbing it like a ladder, and he was going to climb the twilit aquatic's back all the way up to its head. The plan was to stab it in the eye, just as he had last time. That was how it died. But would it truly stay dead this time? What if he would have to return to kill it once more? If it didn't die the first time, then he would surely have to return to kill it again.

Link was already quickly approaching the head of the monster. He was only a few feet away and could clearly see the eye of his enemy guarded by its shocking tentacles. In only a few more seconds, he would pierce his sword into the eye of the twilit aquatic, resulting in an easy victory. All of a sudden, Link's face began to grow extremely hot. He was running out of air and needed to hurry to the surface, but he was so close to the head. He couldn't turn back at that moment when he was just seconds away from destroying his enemy. Link suddenly breathed in water. The gasp was completely unexpected. He would have to turn back or surely he would die at that moment. Without a second thought, the hero's hand ruefully let go of the beast and he dashed for the surface. He gagged and choked, but that didn't stop him from reaching the top of the lake again. He instantly sputtered water and took in deep gasps of air, whipping the bangs from his eyes.

Morpheel passed beneath him, a current rushing against his feet. Link rose in fear. He knew that it could grab him at any moment. It swept by him again, only this time its back appearing above the water for a split second. It was toying with him; striking fear into its prey, and it was most certainly working. Link unsheathed his sword once more so in case the foe came near he could at least defend himself.

The creature let out a threatening roar. Bubbles erupted from underneath the hero. The twilit aquatic was rising to the surface at a rapid pace that Link wouldn't be able to swim away from in time. In an instant, Morpheel lifted above the water, towering above the lake. It had taken Link into its mouth, who was despairingly gripping onto the throat of his captor. If he let go, he would fall right into the stomach of the monster, which would mean instant death. The creature roared again and hurt his eardrums, but he had no intentions of letting go. Unfortunately, the twilit aquatic's throat was extremely slimy and his grasp started to slip. Link gripped tightly onto his sword. He stabbed it into the side of the monster's throat and held onto the handle, mounting himself onto the wall. Although it seemed like a genius move, his sword immediately slid out of the slick wall and he began to plummet into the stomach of Morpheel.

Ilia could only watch in dismay as the monster mercilessly swallowed her friend. "_Liiink!_" She screeched as she firmly clutched onto the side of the boat. However, her cries would go unheard. The hero was gone. She stared at the creature as it slowly sank into the water again, forcing waves to go every which way that rocked her boat. Ilia flopped back into the craft on her back. Had her hero just died? After all the tragedy that had happened to him that day, he had to die like that. He couldn't even die happy. Ilia covered her face and let her flowing tears dance among her fingers. What was she to do now without him? She started to uncontrollably wail in grief, not knowing what else to do. She couldn't think clearly. Her childhood friend just died in the most traumatic way. She didn't even care if the monster came for her next; in fact, she wanted to die. Life wasn't worth living without her friend.

Her boat suddenly began to rock again, but she only lied there. If the monster was coming for her, then so be it. She had nothing left, except her poor papa. _Papa. _If anything, she had to at least live for him. Ilia sprung from her position and took hold of the oars and hastily paddled her way back to the docks. She was quite a distance from them, compared to how close she had been earlier. She must have drifted off due to the waves caused by the monster. Her movements were weak; she was still extremely traumatized from her friend's death. She couldn't bring herself to paddle quickly or strong enough. The girl looked back at the caves, then she looked forward again and could see the enormous enemy rushing for her at a rapid pace. Ilia screamed and dropped the oars. This was it. She was going to die. Now papa would never know what happened to her. He only wanted her to be safe, and she rejected his desires.

All of a sudden, the creature disappeared again. Ilia froze. Where did it go? A muffled cry of the monster was heard underneath the surface. Bubbles appeared underneath her boat. She knew exactly what was happening. Ilia stood up and dived into the water just as the enemy lifted itself above the water again. The boat was completely destroyed, wooden planks flying everywhere. Ilia speedily swam away from the monster, but it seemed as if she was getting nowhere. She turned back to look up at it, but it only remained unmoved.

The crowd of Hylians and zoras who were parked far up on higher ground watched intently at the giant monster, wondering if it swallowed the girl as well. Their legendary hero was already gone, and now it possibly managed to consume some poor, innocent child. They knew the hero would die someday, but they didn't expect it to be anything as tragic as this, especially in front of their eyes. All they could do was watch in horror of what the monster's next move would be and who might be the next victim.

The monster suddenly screeched; not a normal screech, but a cry of pain. Something was happening to it. The crowd gasped in horror and wonder as something began to poke at its stomach. There was something cutting at its insides. They didn't even have to guess what it could possibly be. It was Link, of course, who had been swallowed only minutes ago. Now he was breaking out of its stomach. The crowd began to wildly cheer, encouraging the hero to free himself. Some of them cried his name while others hooted and hollered and clapped. A sword pierced out of the twilit aquatic's belly and tore down the line of its body. The crowd's applause grew louder, and they all began to chant the legendary hero's name.

Ilia, who was patiently waiting in the water, also chanted his name. A single tear streamed down her cheek which she quickly wiped away. Her hero was still alive. That was all she wanted.

Natal and Emmaus watched intently at the unmoving monster in wonder of whether or not Link was going to come out okay. They were both hoping that their hero would free himself safely.

Morpheel let out another terrifying scream. Its tentacles savagely whipped about to and fro, its eyeball looping from one tentacle to another. The creature began to sink down into the lake again, water splashing high into the air. The crowd fell into an uncomfortable silence. The creature had dispersed again before the task was even complete. That meant that their beloved savior would have far more difficulty in freeing himself from the creature. But he was the hero, and as long as he was alive he could get out of any sort of mess, or so they hoped.

Water rushed into Morpheel's stomach. Link had managed to rip a hole as his exit, but it would be arduous to force himself against the flowing water. Link gripped tightly onto the sides of the hole and pushed himself out in his strenuous effort. Now he would be aiming for the eye again. He wasted no time in scaling up the creature's body, climbing up against the horns with the current rushing on his face. Morpheel flailed about, jerking its body in the most wicked and morbid manner. This made it toilsome for the hero to latch on, but he was definitely not about to give up after that beast just swallowed him. That was absolutely degrading.

There it was. The eye. Right in front of him. Link grasped his sword. He raised it high above his head and struck it down in an instant, but to his disadvantage the eye moved into one of the tentacles. Link growled, small bubbles flying from his lips. Just when he thought he had it, it had to slip away again. He should have expected this from his last encounter with the monster.

The twilit aquatic rose above the surface again, thrashing its body all around. Link now clenched onto one of the fins so that he wouldn't fly off. The hero never let go of his sword. He began whacking away at tentacles, each individual one falling to the lake until there was only one left. The monster dived back into the water, and Link gripped onto the fin with all his might. This would be it; the final blow. Link sliced through the tentacle just as the eye slipped back into its head. Link glared at it. He lifted his arm against the speedy current and brought it down onto Morpheel's eye. The monster screamed so loud and so dreadful that it caused all of the monsters to flee back into the Water Temple. Link let go of the dying monster and watched it violently squirm around as it slowly sank to the bottom of the floor, disappearing into the darkness. Its screams became more and more faint; it was dying and would be dead within minutes.

Link looked up at the surface again. Through the top of the water he could see the sun rising. Beams of an astonishing, glistening light lit up the lake. He began to slowly and calmly make his way to the surface. He was sore and he was tired, but it was completely worth the safety of the public. His head emerged at the surface and a sudden loud roar of cheering crept from shore. He turned to look at the fans. They were all jumping and clapping. Some were crying and others were shouting. Applaud even began to echo from the caves of residents who had watched safely the entire time. He had actually never seen anyone cheer for him. Everything he had done was always solitary, but this was the first he had ever committed a good deed in front of anyone. They knew he did good things, but no one had ever witnessed it. Not until now.

Ilia rushed at him through the water and instantly threw her arms around his neck, uncontrollable tears pouring down her cheeks. "Link," she sobbed. "I thought I lost you! You almost died right before my eyes and there was nothing I could do!"

Link gracefully smiled. He gently rubbed her back with one hand and stroked her hair with the other. He was extremely happy to see her after that unbearable and drastic night. He hoped that the rest of his days would at least go a little bit smoother and that no one would be put in harm's way, especially Ilia.

Two zoras quickly approached them and offered to take them back to shore, which the couple gladly accepted. "And we'll be sure to clear out the rest of the monsters," one of them explained. In a matter of no time they were back on the island. The crowd never stopped cheering. Link began to feel uncomfortable with his fans so close by. They could easily reach him now and either grab at the fabulous hero's clothes or throw themselves all over him. Being a famous hero had its troubles. The group of fans began to surround him and touch him and ask him questions that he didn't know how to answer. Link looked around for his friend, but it seemed as if Ilia was pushed away by the swarm. Link looked at each person in the face. They all looked wild and crazy and excited, and it only made Link feel that much more awkward.

Suddenly, fans were being knocked out of the way; some into the water and some farther back on land. "Excuse me! Excuse me! Large woman coming throuuugh! " Emmaus' familiar voice sang, constantly shoving everyone out of her way. Her hand reached out of the crowd and grabbed Link's arm and yanked him from the center. She was now pulling him to one of the docked boats that Natal and Ilia were already planted in. She threw him into the boat and jumped in right after him. She then took hold of the oars and began to paddle her way back to the caves.

They all sat in silence, an uncomfortable silence. Natal and Ilia, who sat next to each other, were staring into the water on their side of the boat, refusing to look at anything else. Link sat in the center where he faced the two. Emmaus sat in the very front where she paddled and paddled. No matter how vibrant the sun was, everything seemed dull. Emmaus began to hum a sweet melody, as if trying to cheer up the mood.

Ilia glared up at her. "How can you be so casual about lying like that?!" Ilia shouted, standing up and rocking the boat and interrupting the humming. "You really hurt Link! You have no idea who he is or where he came from and you have the nerve to make up all of these tales for your own game?! What is wrong with you people?!"

No one answered her for a while. They weren't quite sure what to say in a situation like that. Emmaus' eyes drifted from the wooden floor of the boat to Ilia's passionate eyes. The woman was no longer her usual, flamboyant self. Instead, her expression was filled with sorrow and regret. "I know quite a bit about Link, honestly. I had known his parents too. His _real_ parents. And I promise to tell you everything once we're inside of the house again."

Ilia furiously placed her hands on her hips. "How are we supposed to trust you after all of those lies you dumped on us?"

Emmaus' eyelashes fluttered. "You can't. I can only hope that you will believe me now, as apology for deceiving you before."

Link glared at the floor of the craft. Could he really believe anything that these people were going to tell him? Was it even worth his time? He shifted in his seat and deeply sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was listen to more farfetched tales by this heartless couple. However, it would be rude to run out on them so suddenly, and maybe there actually could be something meaningful or truthful. He supposed he would listen to whatever they had to say, no matter how greatly he had no desire to.

Besides, he was still waiting on his uniform.

* * *

**I wonder what Link will discover from these people. Ooohhh~ The suspeeense. Thank you all for your wonderful reviews and critiques so far. I greatly appreciate them. Please don't be shy. Feel free to say whatever you want! Not that... I'm desperate for reviews or anything...  
**


	9. Heartwarming Beauty

Chapter Nine: Heartwarming Beauty

The group gathered around the table in the dining room of Emmaus and Natal's home. Despite the daylight outside, the caves were always dark and lights were always necessary. A few candles were mounted along the walls so that they would clearly be able to see each other even if they didn't want to, especially Link, who couldn't help but to feel a grudge against the two. He could hardly stay still in his seat waiting for the devious couple to rant with either more lies or hopefully truths. Link wasn't sure if he was honestly confident in believing these people, but if they knew any one little thing about his parents then that would be able to aid him somehow, wouldn't it? Or at least give him reassurance.

"Would you like any tea?" Emmaus gladly offered with a warm and florid smile.

Ilia's eyebrows twitched along with a grit of her teeth. "We'd like you to begin explaining yourself. Quit stalling."

The large woman took an edgy gander at her husband. His arm had finally been tightly wrapped, and now the recovering soldier was fixing up Link's uniform; washing off the blood stains, sewing up the rips. Link had said it wouldn't be necessary, but Natal protested that it was the least he could do for deceiving the hero. Emmaus would have liked to do it herself, but she was stuck in the spotlight and had to tell the truth behind everything. Her face grew red from embarrassment and she shifted about in her chair, fiddling with her clothes.

"Alright," Emmaus started. "Well you see … Years and years ago before Link was ever born, I used to be a poor, little orphaned peasant. I had no family nor friends, not even a place to stay. Every night I would either sleep somewhere in the woods or hide under a bridge. If I was hungry, I'd scavenge food out of the trash or steal off of people's plates. This had gone on for years and years, right until I grew until I was your age. There was a wild festival going on one night; crazy lights and free food. It was spectacular! There was one kind lady, about my age, running one of the food stands. She said she needed she was willing to pay anyone who would help her make the meals. Since she was short on help and I was short on money, I eagerly offered to help her. That girl ended up teaching me everything about food I know today, and after that night we became great friends.

"It must have been painfully obvious that I was homeless, so she kindly let me stay inside her home. She had her own wonderful place in the East side of Castle Town on the second floor. There was a cute little balcony that could be walked on, although you could scarcely see the view of the Town Square past the neighboring buildings. But the view of the East side was great, on the bright side. I loved that place! I would have never left, if it wasn't for my dear friend. By the time I had become fully settled in, she uttered the most ecstatic news; she was getting married. To top it all off, she was getting married to the _Prince _of Hyrul-"

"That's impossible!" Ilia interrupted. "A peasant can't marry someone of royalty. It's not allowed! Quit lying already!"

"No, no! It's true," Emmaus protested with an enlightening smile and a wave of her hands. "They don't have to be both of high standards to get married, although it was highly frowned upon. But they didn't care; they were madly in love. They spent every day together just holding them in their arms and they'd teach each other all sorts of things and would never stop talking. My, it was romantic. I had never seen such a gooey love! And then the great day came and they got married. Everyone in the kingdom showed up to their wedding. It was such a breathtaking ball. My friend- the _Princess_ looked absolutely stunning standing by her Prince. They were so beautiful.

"Unfortunately, that meant I wouldn't be able to pay the taxes on my house considering I didn't have a job. I was kicked out in a matter of two weeks. After my friend had heard, she let me live in the castle with her! Not for free, of course. I became the head chef," she said proudly with a wink. "The Prince was most impressed with my cooking, but he didn't even know that it was the Princess who had taught me everything I knew. Ha!

"A few years later after we all settled in, a grave war had spread across the land of Hyrule. The King and the Queen passed away in the midst of the large battle. My friend, once a Princess, became the new Queen of all of Hyrule that very moment. Her Prince became the King. They were hardly adults, and already they were forced to take on such wide responsibilities. Quite a shame … But they managed. The King courageously led his soldiers and worked them majestically against the forces of evil. The Queen stayed behind and nursed wounded soldiers. All of these tragedies went on for a good two years. Nothing ever seemed to stop! There were always fights erupting in the town, and strange monsters were constantly attempting to break down the gates of Hyrule, but our soldiers were strong and never once gave up!

"The Queen, after a matter of time, had finally given me the most unexpected of news during the worst part of time in our history. Standing on the balcony she rushed to me, tears streaming down her face, and anxiously whispered in my ear "I'm pregnant." The whole world seemed to collide. She was deathly afraid of bringing an innocent little child into such a dangerous world. She didn't want it to get hurt or grow to live in a world of destruction. It wouldn't be fair to her family. I didn't let that bother her, however; I always reminded her about how beautiful that baby was going to be. And I was definitely right. That bundle of joy came out laughing and smiling; I had never seen such an angelic baby boy! I sat by my dear old friends and asked what they would name such a child. They looked each other in the eyes. The two looked so merry, so at peace. "Link," is the name they had given their son, the name they gave to you without a second thought.

"About a month later, a terrible force broke through into the sacred land of Hyrule. It thrashed through the forest and bolted through the fields, making its land on the safe haven of Castle Town. The Queen and I watched in fear as the threat made its way through the innocent town. My friend forced me to leave and told me to never look back; so I did exactly that. I ran like a coward through the streets trying to escape with my life. I didn't even bother to stay to help my friend! But as I was running, I saw the King hand off a small bundle to one of his well-trusted soldiers. I didn't get to see who it was and I guess I didn't care. The town was crumbling so I didn't bother to stop. I raced out of the castle with nothing but my life. In a matter of days, the castle was brought down to ruins, but the Queen and King had saved the land of Hyrule.

"The citizens of Castle Town spent years rebuilding the place. It doesn't look as phenomenal as it did back then, but the place is at least in fair shape. During that time, I would always ask what had happened to the King and Queen, but they never said. There are rumors that say they died while others say that the couple went to chase after their enemy and never returned. Regardless of where they went, they were quickly replaced. The King's younger brother took role as the new King. He later got married to someone else of high royalty and had a girl- but I never met any of them. I had only heard about everything.

"Years and years later, I decided to get married. We gave birth to the most precious little boy- that's where that story comes in. We traveled into the woods and my husband died defending me. Then I lost my poor child somewhere in a tree! And after that I met Natal. I was devastated at first, seeing that he was a gerudo and knowing that the destruction of Hyrule was cause by a gerudo as well. However, Natal was gentle and sweet. I never met such a benevolent, not to mention wildly handsome, character in my life. This strange gerudo restored my heart, and we have been so happily in love since! I told him all about my son and my old husband, and he kindly listened. He would take me into the woods all of the time to find my baby, but we never managed…

"I later told him all about my past life; befriending the Queen and King, and about you too! He was delighted by my tales, and it was then that we wanted a son. However, we were too old to bare children, although not old enough. We began to travel and search, looking for both my child in the woods and searching for your location so that we could bring you to the kingdom. We wanted to reunite you with your aunt and your uncle and your cousin. Sadly, we heard that the new King passed away after Ganondorf's recent reign. All that's left is the Princess and the Queen- your cousin and your aunt," Emmaus suddenly smiled her familiar cheery smiled. "I know we shouldn't have lied to you about being your parents, but we didn't know how else to lure you in to take you back to your family. If you let us, we'll gladly take you to the-"

Link slammed his hands on the table. Without a single word, he spun on his heel and marched out the door, slamming it shut.

"Did I say something wrong?" Emmaus baffled with her hand over her mouth.

Ilia slumped down into her chair and crossed her arms. "This story seems highly unlikely. There's no way Link's parents could have been royalty! And there's no way he's related to the Princess Zelda! How do you expect us to believe such lies?" Ilia went to stand up to follow her friend, but Emmaus stopped her.

"I have pictures to prove it! Of the former Queen! She looks like Link! Natal, fetch the photos!"

Natal rushed to his feet and went into the other room to do so.

"Yeah? Well…" Ilia wanted to leave. She didn't want to have to believe Emmaus. All of this seemed entirely strange and new, and she wasn't sure how to take it. She decided to revert back to her other argument to keep her focused. "So why did you lie to Link, then? Why didn't you just tell us the truth in the first place? Maybe we would have listened! Do you even know what he could have felt after all of what you told him? Do you even know how he feels right now?"

Emmaus was silent.

Natal rapidly returned into the dining room with a photograph. "Here! It is the only one I could find!"

Ilia studied it. It was hard to see into the picture, considering it was so old. She blew away the dust with her lungs and took a hold of the small piece. The corner of her lips lightly moved upwards into a wistful smile. She slowly nodded, taking note of the woman in the photograph. "Yup, that's Link's mama alright …" she whispered. Ilia covered her chuckle with her hand and took a deep breath. "Wow, his mama is so beautiful. They look a lot alike … I can see where he got his beautiful hair. Oh, Link would be so happy to see this …" Ilia turned to Emmaus, her eyes twinkling with hope. "Do you mind if I bring this to him? He'd love to see it."

Emmaus giggled and nodded. "Oh, you go ahead. I'm sure it'll cheer him up some." She looked back into the photograph as well, as if basking in the nostalgia. "I miss her so much."

Ilia nodded. They stood silently for a while, staring at the photograph. "Could you tell me what sort of parents they were like?" Ilia asked, her voice soft and sweet. "He's always asking a friend in our village who had apparently known them, but he never says anything."

"Well, they were gentle people," she started off in a hum, "and very kind. They wanted nothing but to give to people. They were also extremely brave; I heard that they fought Ganondorf himself all by their selves … During that entire month they had together with Link, they did nothing but play with him. They always bounced him in the air and would kiss him on the cheek and would squeeze him into a hug. It was so cute. They loved him very much and believed he would do great things, and they always told him that…" Emmaus' eyes began to swell up with tears, and she suddenly started to sob. "I-I have to go to my room!" She cried, making her way back into the bedroom.

Ilia watched her. She then looked at Natal and smiled. "Link and I are going to leave, now. Thank you so much for all of your kindness. You two are wonderful people."

"Wait," Natal said. He stood up and handed the uniform to Ilia. All of the stains were completely missing and the rips were easily patched up as if nothing had even happened. "Here. Be safe on your travels, please. The world is dangerous and you two are still so young. I do not want to hear about either one of you getting hurt, is that clear?"

Ilia clutched the tunic and the photograph tightly. She nodded, and a sudden tear rolled down her cheek. She hugged Natal around his large waist, who openly hugged her back. "We'll be careful," she wept. "I promise you that. We'll take good care of each other." She removed herself from him and gathered all of Link's supplies and made her way to the door. Her feet bounced down the wooden steps and she had just stepped down onto the cold cave floor when something was thrown into her bag. Ilia looked back to see Emmaus putting something into her sack. "What's this?" Ilia asked.

"It's more of that tektite stuff that Link loved so much," Emmaus informed. Her wet and destroyed makeup ran down her cheeks, but she still looked as bubbly as before. "I'm not surprised that he liked it; it's basically his mother's cooking, after all." She threw Ilia into an unexpected squeeze, then quickly let go and patted Ilia on the back. "You tell your boyfriend to cheer up, okay? And that I'll be expecting him to come back."

Ilia nodded and smiled in reassurance. She then turned and began to stroll down the crowded caves past all of the people who grinned and chuckled with each other. Ilia's curiosity soon began to get to the better of her; she wanted to taste the great tektite that Link's mother used to cook so many years ago. Her hand eagerly reached down into the bag and pulled out a piece of tektite and quickly shoved into her mouth without hesitation. It was one of the greatest things she had ever eaten.

* * *

Link sat in silence as he rowed himself out into the middle of the lake. He needed time alone- time to think. He was still in disbelief of that woman's tales. He wasn't sure whether to believe them or not. His parents? Royalty? There was no possible way that he was related to the Princess Zelda. Rusl had said that his parents were somewhere in the castle of Hyrule, but were they retired somewhere in the town? And what if they were? They would have claimed him the first time he came around. Although it could have been like Emmaus said; they were probably still chasing Ganondorf after all of those years. But it's been a few months after his death; wouldn't they have turned up by now?

Link stopped paddling and took a deep, quivering breath. The sun beat hot on his skin that caused him to grow extremely tired. How long had it been since he last slept, exactly? He looked down into the water at his reflection. There were deep bags under his eyes that didn't do him any good for his appearance. It must have been at least two days since the last time he had actually closed his eyes. He needed a good rest, but he didn't have time. He had to talk to the Spirit of Lanayru as soon as possible so that he could stop Zant and Midna from spreading more destruction. They had already spawned the terrible beast, Morpheel. There was no doubt that they had already caused more demolition.

Link continued his paddling again, although he had already drifted fairly close to the entrance of the spirit's cave. He firmly placed his foot onto the first step, then began to make way towards the entrance. He was eager to listen to what sort of advice this divine creature would give him.

The light in this cave was always so bright and didn't need any sort of fire or bug to light up the room, probably because it was so immensely holy. He stood on the cliff waiting for the spirit to show up, but for some odd reason it didn't come to him. Was the time too early? Was he supposed to wait? Maybe he was supposed to do something in order for it to appear. Or maybe he had to talk to Ordon first; that's right. He didn't talk to Ordon when he visited Ordon Village before; he spoke to Faron. Maybe Lanayru had to be spoken to last.

Link spun around and was just about to depart of the cave's entrance when a familiar voice stopped him. "You just got here, and you're already leaving? That's a shame," the sweet voice chuckled. Link turned back and saw Midna standing at the edge of the cliff. She masked that quirky smile that Link had always liked. He wanted to go to her, but it would have been useless. That wasn't Midna. It was Zant in her body. Instead, Midna came closer to him. She planted her fingers on his cheek. He couldn't move; he was paralyzed with fear. If she attacked at that moment, he wouldn't be able to defend himself. He had no intentions of hurting Midna in the state she was in. It wouldn't be fair to her.

Midna playfully chuckled. "Why must you always be so silent, hero? Does my beauty strike you again?" She toyed. Her fingers slid down to his chin, and her thumb played with his lip. Her eyelashes seductively fluttered. "… I've really missed you," she suddenly whispered to his surprise. Link felt himself blushing. He didn't want to fall into this trap, but it appeared to be working. Midna leaned in slightly, and her hand gently slid from his chin down to his neck. "You're such a fool." Her hand latched onto his throat and he suddenly couldn't breathe. He went to grab for his sword but he realized it wasn't there; it was back at the cabin with all of his other things.

Midna slammed him against the wall and lifted him off his feet with her supernatural strength. She stared at him directly in the eyes as she watched her old friend choke for air. However, something inside of her seemed to tell her to stop- it was wrong. It was as if she suddenly forgot why she was doing this in the first place. Her heart started to severely ache, and she immediately let go of the hero and clutched tightly onto her chest. Her breathing became extremely heavy.

Link fell on the dirt and took short gasps as he glared at Midna in confusion, unsure of why she stopped. Maybe she was returning to herself. Link forced himself up. He had to help her somehow. He took a step near her and Midna's eyes immediately darted up at him. "Don't come any closer!" She shrieked, moving back. "Please, Link! I don't want to hurt you!"

The hero's eyes widened and he gasped. That was definitely Midna. He couldn't just stand back and watch her suffer. That was his friend. He had to help her. But what could he do? Link started to move towards her again. Midna's hand shot up towards him, as if telling him to halt. "I'll blast you back, Link. I don't want to hurt you, but I will! Don't come near me!" She cried again. But Link only moved closer. "Link stop!" She screamed. Her fingers quivered, and Link suddenly reached his hand out and entwined his fingers with hers. Midna grew silent, as if she was completely relaxed. All of her violent movements stopped and her breathing returned to her. She stood up straight and looked at him, her eyes kind and familiar. Link studied them, finding complete peace looking at his friend again.

He thought he had finally reached her, but Midna seemed to change again. She just suddenly wasn't herself anymore. It was sure to be Zant taking over once more. Midna unexpectedly started to squeeze Link's hand to the point that it started hurting. She bent his hand back. Link tried to pull from her grip but she was far too strong for a mortal like him. He screamed, and all of a sudden the Spirit of Lanayru began to appear from the depths of the spring water. It let out a sudden call and the cave lit up in a sea of gold. Midna let out an excruciating cry. Her hand let go of Link's and she began to dissolve into the habitual squares, and in the next instant she was gone.

Link stared at his hand that was recently crushed by Midna's. It was pulsing in pain, but thankfully it wasn't broken. He was still in shock after everything that had just happened and wasn't sure how to come back to himself.

"O Brave Youth chosen by the gods…" said Lanayru disappointingly as it slightly tilted its head to the side. "You've grown frail. How I was mistaken that you would not fall into the dark one's hand… yet you almost lost yourself twice since in her presence? Do not befall into her immoral tricks. You have learned twice of her lunacies and I expect you to keep your distance ..." Link felt uneasy listening to the deity point out his flaw but paid close attention to its wise words and instructions. "The Princess of Twilight locks herself in the Kingdom of Twilight and should remain there for all eternity… for it has been scribed into history that that is where she'll lay … Link, it is your sole purpose- your sole existence to keep balance in order. I fathom that she is a distant friend, but this friendship is no more until you release her from Zant's deathly grasp …

"As Eldin and Faron have said, you must gather the remaining pieces of the Triforce, or else Zant will … And if he does, sheer destruction will spread across the land like a plague. However, gaining the pieces will be no easy task … In order to obtain the pieces the possessor must bestow them to you. You already wield the Triforce of Courage, for it has been printed on your hand since birth. The beholder of the Triforce of Power is long since deceased… and so his piece remains untouched my mortal hands … You will travel there and take it from its location to use to your advantage. The Triforce of Wisdom, on the other hand, is still in the Princess of Hyrule's living hands … To procure the final Triforce, Zelda will have to impart the pierce into your ownership … But to your dislike, a grave resolution will be enforced. I apologize in advance …

"After receiving the final piece, you will traverse to the land of Twilight via the restored Twilight mirror. There, you will fall into a winding battle faced with arduous challenges and decisions. As the Hero chosen by the gods, may you have no difficulty … Be on your toes and do not let the Princess of Twilight flee from that land … If she is to return to the sacred grounds of Hyrule without the hero, the land will be sure to fall into devastation … Go, Brave Youth. Return to the Twilight Realm and save the land of Hyrule ..." The Spirit of Lanayru let out a loud cry and started to wind back into its ball. Its light began to grow brighter and brighter until blinding, the music growing stronger and stronger until echoing, then everything slowly died down into silence and normality.

Link stared at the ceiling of the cave. There was so much he had to do, and he couldn't help but feel stressed about the situation despite being the hero. He had completed so much more on his last quest, yet everything on this journey seemed far more difficult. Maybe it wasn't the fact that there was so much to do- because in reality there wasn't much at all. It was the idea that he would have to battle his friend after recently reuniting with her. He just discovered that the mirror was restored and that he would be able to freely travel back and forth from the Twilight Realm to Hyrule, and now he would have to battle Midna before they would even be able to visit. What if the mirror was destroyed again? Or what if battling Midna meant killing his best friend? What if he couldn't do it? … And what if he could?

"Link!" A sudden voice called behind him. Link turned on his heel to see Ilia, concerned and confused. She rushed to him and dropped everything on her way, throwing her hands on his shoulders to get a good look at him. "I heard you scream! Link, it was so loud. Oh, are you alright?!" She studied his face and looked down at his neck, and her eyes suddenly became wider in both apprehension and anger. "Someone tried to strangle you? Are you hurt? Please tell me you're okay, Link! Why are you laughing? This isn't funny!"

Link grabbed her wrists and gently pulled her off of himself. He then came forward and hugged her, just happy to see his friend. He needed a comforting hug after such a stressful day. Between everything Emmaus had told him and then that weary encounter with Midna and then everything Lanayru informed him about he just wasn't sure how to feel anymore. It just made him feel good to know that Ilia would at least always be there for him, no matter what she knew and didn't know. As long as he had that one friend, he would be fine in the end no matter what. He just needed someone to care for him.

They let go after a while, and Ilia sprang back to fetch something on the floor and returned to him in an instant. "Link, Natal repaired your tunic for you. See?" Ilia exclaimed as she brought the sealed clothes into his face. He gratefully grasped onto the uniform. "Good as new! You won't have to worry about this tearing for a while. But let's please not try to rip this again. I'm bad with a needle!" She suddenly playfully shoved on his chest. "I'm going to go outside so that you can dress yourself. I'm sure you miss your old clothes." She slowly began to back away, then turned and strolled out of the cave without another word.

Link stared at his clothes. It felt like it had been ages since he had last worn it. The hero immediately threw off the hideous clothes that Ilia and Emmaus had bought for him and tossed them into an unorganized pile. He then eagerly pulled on all of his familiar clothes, ending with a tight tug of his hat on his head. The primordial clothing felt beyond comfortable compared to the unfitting clothes given to him before. He could freely and easily move about in his tunic. The hero moved around a bit, becoming formal once again with his uniform. He then sluggishly plopped down cross-legged on the ground. Everything felt ordinarily correct again, and it felt astounding.

Except for that foolish thing in his hat poking at his head.

Link reached up and scratched his head, only to feel an unrecognizable piece of paper. He took it down from his hat and looked at it. Ilia's handwriting was on the back of the folded paper. _Link's mother_, it read. Link's heart stopped. Could it be? On the other side of this folded paper was there actually a photograph of his mother? His fingers trembled as he slowly unfolded the paper. He then flipped it over, and his eyes widened only slightly followed by a gasp. There she stood, young and beautiful. Long dark and brown hair and emerald green eyes. Her facial features were so similar to those of Link's. She even had pointed ears like he did, unlike everyone else he had met. This woman looked extremely like Link and undoubtedly had to be his mother.

Link felt himself begin to tense up as he stared at his mother. He never thought he'd see her face, and it was definitely the most breathtaking face he had ever seen. He tightly clutched the photograph, not wanting to ever let go of it. This was the only thing he had of his parents and it encouraged him that much more to go and find them. He lightly smiled and brought the picture up to his face, gently kissing the picture of his mother as if she had been right there in front of him.

Ilia had been watching from around the corner. She decided to join him and sat down right next to the hero. "Emmaus told me that your parents played with you every day until they had to give you up. They were brave and kind towards their people, but you were their number one priority."

Link slowly nodded, taking in every word to his heart. He refused to move his eyes away from the picture. He couldn't wait to find his real parents. Rusl said they were somewhere in Castle Town, so they had to still be there somewhere. That was all he wanted to do since he started that trip, and now he had quite a few clues about his parents. Maybe they were waiting for him all along inside of that castle. Yeah, they were hiding from the public because they didn't want to get trampled by fans like he was. Link took a deep breath and sighed with a smile. He couldn't wait until they traveled to Hyrule Castle. As soon as he obtained Zelda's Triforce, he was going to search that entire town for his parents.

Link suddenly yawned. He was unbearably tired and greatly craved a wink of sleep. Despite how quickly he had to get to Castle Town, he was far too exhausted. It was about time he got a well-deserved rest after all of the hard work he had done, anyhow. The hero slipped the photograph into his shirt and lied down in the soft grass on his back. His eyes then slowly batted shut and he drifted off into a deep, deep sleep.

* * *

**I absolutely loved this chapter. It was so much fun to write and it was just extremely cute. Thank you everyone for your reviews and keeping up so far! I greatly appreciate it. I can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter;)**


	10. A Terrible Loss

Chapter 10: A Terrible Loss

"You might want to hold on to each other pretty tight," Fyer warned as he shut the enormous door to the Human-Cannonball ride. The room instantly went dark, and the two squeezed each other around the waist waiting to be cast into the air. They could hear the music rising from outside, and a sudden jolt started the ride. They could feel the room moving around, spinning and spinning. The music began to speed faster and faster, and the room was moving quicker and quicker, and before they knew it they were thrown high into the blue sky.

Ilia uncontrollably giggled as she looked down at the view below them. Everyone looked like little bugs. The reflection of the sky looked phenomenal from where they were; the water was so clear that she could see the two of them huddled together in the reflection. Time felt as if it had stopped, but it definitely hadn't. In the next instant, Link had flipped them over and they landed gracefully on their feet on Fyer and Falbi's porch. The two shortly and sweetly smiled at each other amongst their laughing, then opened the door and walked inside.

They were on the second floor, which was connected to the first floor by a colorful ladder. The two made their way down the steps. Chickens crowed and clucked as they scampered out of the humans' way. Link helped Ilia down while she climbed down the final steps, and all of a sudden they were greeted by an overwhelming strange clown.

"My, that was some fight you had down there, hero!" Falbi cheered, clapping his hands together. He was the co-owner of he and Fyer's company, and he too was a friend of Link's. "I have to ask you, is my pal Fyer alright? I would just be devastated if anything happened to him!" The clown groaned with a dramatic hand thrown into the air. Link chuckled and nodded, and Falbi took a hold of Link's hands. "I have something to give to you! Wait right here!" The zealous clown hopped onto the ladder and began digging away in some sort of treasure chest. "You wait right there, hero! I'll be down in a minute!"

Link stared up at the clown. His eyes slowly drifted away and brought his gaze to Ilia. She was standing at the edge of the board staring right at Lake Hylia. Link joined his friend, standing next to her, and gazed out at the vast lake as well. Ilia let out a sigh. "This is a beautiful place, Link. Thank you for taking me," she said, her view locked on the water. Link nodded in agreement and patted her back. If she was astonished by this, she would be breathless after seeing the rest of Hyrule.

"Heeere it is!" Falbi called from the second floor. He slid down the ladder and dashed through the chickens to make his way to Link. A jar was immediately shoved into the hero's chest. "I know it isn't much. It's all I could think to give after all that you've done for us, not to mention that it's free!"

Link smiled in content at his friend. He looked down at the jar to notice a fairy flying about inside. That would greatly help him on his journey if he were to ever be severely injured. Link thanked him, called back on Ilia who skipped away from the ledge, and made his way for the exiting door. He needed to be on his journey again as quick as possible, no matter how much his desires were to lay around.

Link eagerly threw the door open, avid to see Hyrule's green grass fields again. He looked at the familiar grounds from the left to the right, taking in all of its glory. He wasn't exactly observing green grass, considering there were only rocks and dry dirt in this area, but at least it was solid ground. The hero strode forward onto the pebbles and began to make his way to the bridge. He wasn't even sure if Epona was still there after all that had happened; the shadow bulblin could have taken her long ago. It had been an entire day, after all. Link soon found himself rushing to the bridge, and to his surprise Epona was still there. He squinted at the sight. Sure enough, there was another dead shadow bulblin lying on the floor, making a total of five dead bulblins in all. Good job, Epona.

Ilia darted around the corner past Link and raced for the gallant horse. "Epona! I'm so sorry we left you!" She cried, moving her arms and legs as fast as she could. Epona neighed and kicked her front feet. She then started off into a strong gallop towards the human girl. However, she didn't stop once she reached Ilia; she passed her by and made straight for Link. Ilia slowed to a stop and watched Epona halt in front of the hero, who smiled and tenderly rubbed the horse's face. Ilia pouted.

The girl returned to the close companions and watched them bond with each other. Ilia grew in jealousy, but let out a chuckle realizing she'd never have such a close relationship with the horse like that. "I bet she's starving," Ilia commented. "I'm sure I have something in my pouch for her." Ilia turned and started to dig in her bag, but soon realized she didn't have any sort of fruit or vegetable for the animal. "Oh, I forgot that I ran out of food. All I have left is that tektite thing that Emmaus gave us," she sighed. "Sorry Epona."

The horse neighed in response. Link mounted Epona and then helped lift Ilia onto the stallion behind him. It was about time that he made way to Hyrule Castle after all of the events that caused him to fall behind. The hero kicked Epona's sides and the horse immediately dashed for the trail that followed up to Hyrule castle.

"Hey! Stop!" A distant voice cried behind them.

Link turned his head to look back at the caller. Before he could even make out who it was, Ilia already fell into a panic. "Papa?!" She shouted. The large man was on Rusl's horse and was racing right for them. Link turned Epona around and ran her right onto the bridge again, meeting half-way with Mayor Bo. Ilia hid herself behind Link, barely peeking her eye to look at the mayor. "What are you doing here?" She meekly whispered, her arm reaching up and clawing at the back of Link's clothes.

He looked highly displeased with both the hero and his daughter. His eyebrows creased into a deep anger. "I told you not to go, and what do you do? You leave!" He raged, gritting his teeth.

Link looked back at Ilia in surprise. Had he known that the mayor wouldn't have allowed her to run off with him, he would have left Ilia at the village. But Ilia said nothing of it when they left. What was going on through her head that would cause her to think like that? Now she was far beyond trouble, and Link was slightly apart of the problem.

Ilia looked down at the concrete, absolutely refusing to look up at the man. She opened her mouth to speak, but wasn't sure how to answer him. She knew she had down him wrong but didn't want to admit it. "I'm sorry, Papa. I wanted to help Link the best I could…"

"Ilia," Mayor Bo scoffed, "this is the exact sort of rambunctious behavior that caused your mother to die! Do you know how hard I tried to protect her? Do you even know how hard I am trying to protect you?! I'll be utterly lost if you get hurt or die! You're my little girl!"

"I'm not a little girl anymore!" Ilia argued, now raising her voice. "I'm the same age as Link, the hero who saved all of Hyrule! If he can take care of himself, then I can too! I can't help that you couldn't protect Mama and I can't help that you can't protect me all of the time, but that's not going to stop me from going off and doing these things. I know I can do it. I already did! Link and I slayed a bunch of monsters together. It's not like I'm useless! I'm strong. I can help him with anything he needs."

"Link can do everything on his own," Mayor Bo bickered as if Link wasn't there. "He's special and can do these special things all by himself. You, on the other hand, are only human. If Link wasn't around to help you, you'd most likely be dead by now. You're only just a girl; you need strong men to take care of you like Link and your dear Papa. By going out with Link, you're putting yourself in far more danger. Please, come back with me where it's saf-"

"And what if something happens to Link? Who's going to be there for him?" Ilia started to tense up. She clenched her fists as if that would calm her down, but it only seemed to make her that much more rallied up. "Link doesn't have anyone. If I go back with you, I'll have the entire village. Link could get hurt and then there wouldn't be anyone to take care of him."

Mayor Bo's eyes narrowed. His grip became tighter on the reins of the horse. "It must be so terrible to have a father who cares about you, who wants to protect you ... I'm an old man, Ilia. I only have so much time left. Wouldn't it be wise to come back with me? While we still have time? Link doesn't have a loving family like you do, and I feel like you should take that to your advantage. I know what it feels like; my parents have long since died of old age and I was devastated at first. The only thing that kept me going was my wife and my child, and now all that's left is my child." The mayor suddenly took a deep breath, "my only child…" He turned the horse around and started to walk down the bridge.

Ilia slid her arms around Link's waist and tightly squeezed him, unsure and uncaring of what the mayor had meant by that. "Let's get going, Link," she pouted. Link whipped the reins and began to follow Bo. "Hey, where are you going? We're supposed to go towards the monsters!" She shouted in a loud whisper.

Link didn't answer her. What Ilia was doing was wrong; a daughter and father should have a strong healthy relationship, but she was only hurting him. Link was grateful that Ilia wanted to help out on his quest, but like Mayor Bo said; he could do everything on his own. Ilia needed to stay home with her father. She was lucky to still have one and needed to respect him. One day he was going to die, and she would greatly regret not spending this precious time with her father.

"Hey!" Link called out to Bo as he quickly raced Epona to his side. The mayor looked up at Link with confused and distraught eyes, but lightened up by Link's contagious smile. Ilia had her face turned away from the two. She wasn't too happy with either of them.

* * *

The horses strolled into Kakariko village. The children greeted them with laughter and questions pertaining to Link and Ilia's absence, wondering where the two went off to. Link gladly answered them, but Ilia only remained in her childish silence. She was no longer clinging to Link, but sitting up straight and crossing her arms, not wanting to touch the hero. The one thing she didn't want to do was come back to the village; she wanted to go out and adventure but Link wouldn't let her, and she knew why. Link and Bo talked about parenting and bonding the entire trip back. He wanted her to talk to her papa, but she wasn't going to.

Ilia slid off of the back of Epona with Link following after. Mayor Bo had trouble getting off of his horse but managed to successfully do so. "Rusl has been doing a lot better since you left, but he's far from being able to stand," Bo informed. He sort of chuckled and turned to walk to the nursing house. "He's been asking all about you, Link. Wondering where you've been and whatnot."

Link's eyes lit up with glee. He trotted to Mayor Bo's side and joined him on their return to visit the old man.

Ilia's eyes narrowed as she watched them. She wasn't about to be left alone with all of the kids throwing questions at her, so she raced by the men's side and followed closely behind.

They arrived in the bedroom and gathered around Uli, Rusl and their baby. They looked like a wonderful little family, smiling and laughing and getting along. Rusl grinned at the hero once he stepped foot into the room. "Hey, my boy! I was wondering where you went," Rusl welcomed as he watched Link take seat next to him. "How're you? Let me see that leg wound of yours." Link did so, and Rusl nodded in approval. "Looks like you're getting better. Well, so am I," Rusl snickered with a wink.

Uli warmly smiled at them. Her eyes moved from her husband to Link. "Where did you go for so long, Link?" She asked from pure curiosity, her voice soft and comforting.

Link told them about how they got stuck in Lake Hylia and battled it out at this wondrous festival. He was careful to leave out the information about his "parents" and Midna, however. He didn't want them getting confused over small details. The crowd didn't look at all surprised by Link's accomplishments; they knew he could easily tackle great things. What they_ were _astonished about was the fact that Ilia had been around for such a terrible event and that she had actually helped; their eyes lightened up when hearing that she successfully used a bow and arrow.

Rusl looked up at Ilia, who was sitting proudly in her seat next to Link's. "Good job, Ilia!" Rusl cheered, patting on his own lap. "I didn't know you were such the archer. Maybe when I get better, we can go hunting with Colin, yeah? And your papa can come along, too."

Mayor Bo stood in utter silence. He was astounded by Ilia's great work that she was able to defend herself from such vicious creatures. It was completely unexpected. His once innocent daughter was fighting and shooting monsters beyond his protection, and there wasn't even a scratch on her. "Ilia," Mayor Bo suddenly spoke. The two looked at each other in the eyes. He placed a heavy hand on her shoulder and gently shook her. "I'm proud of you. I think you're responsible to defend for yourself … If you two can take care of each other, then you can freely go off with Link."

Ilia's eyes lit up with joy as a smile creased across her lips. She stood and hugged Mayor Bo and laughed into his chest. "Thank you so much, Papa! I promise I'll be careful! I promise!"

"Looks like you'll get to keep your assistant after all," Rusl commented, playfully smacking Link on the knee.

Ilia suddenly let go of her father and turned to look at Link and Rusl again. "Hey, Link! Show Rusl that picture that you found of your mom!"

Link blinked. He hadn't exactly planned on showing or telling anyone about that, but he supposed there was no harm done in doing so. Maybe he'd actually get an answer out from Rusl now. Link dug his hand into his shirt pocket and slipped out the picture of his mother. He looked at it for a moment, taking in all of its glory, and then handed it to the eager Rusl.

The old man studied it for a long while, creasing his eyebrows into concentration. He didn't look at all joyous like Link expected, but instead he looked very grim. "Where did… you get this?" Rusl asked, turning his concerned eyes to look at Link.

Link began to feel a little worried wondering what could possibly startle the old man. Was there something wrong with the photograph? With his mother? Rusl's expression was making him uneasy. Link's heart started to beat at a faster pace. Obviously, something was terribly wrong, but he couldn't bring himself to ask what. He was too frightened to hear of the result.

"Link…" His voice was far too sweet and far too comforting, which struck fear into the hero. "I have something to tell you that I should have told you a long time ago…" Rusl spoke, now sitting up with difficulty.

All of a sudden, there was a loud crash from outside and Renado immediately came into the room. "Monsters are everywhere! They have broken the gate and they are storming in! We have to get everyone out of here!"

The group immediately sprung to their feet. Mayor Bo lifted Rusl's arm over his shoulders. "Come on, Rusl. Get to your feet," Bo encouraged. Rusl grimaced as he stood, his wound pulsing with pain.

"Let's go see what's going on!" Ilia shouted, grabbing Link's arm and pulling him out of the room. Link instantly passed her up and dashed out of the nursing house. As soon as he stepped outside, he could see all sorts of enemies swarming around the town. Thankfully, they were mainly minor, and gorons were already rolling through the town crushing them all. The problem was that they were igniting everything on fire. As far down as they could see, every building was slowly being engulfed in flames. It wasn't going to be easy putting those out.

Link took out the gale boomerang from his bag and slung it at one of the burning buildings, only managing to take away a few of the flames. He continued to do this, but it felt like a waste of time. Only a few of the flames went out and would quickly return again after trying to put out a different part. Link dashed into the interior of the building and started to use the boomerang inside instead. This plan seemed to be working much better than his other one; the flames quickly disappeared. He then went back outside again to use it on the roof, but as soon as he did so the building collapsed. Link stared at it with wide eyes. Had he been in there a second longer he would have been sure to die.

A torch slug suddenly began to crawl onto his foot, burning up his leg. The hero panicked and kicked it off, then smashed it with his boot. His eyes darted from the enemy and looked all around at the numerous amounts of monsters tearing up the town. Had it not been for the gorons, this place would have been flooded with enemies.

Gor Coron, one of the goron elders, approached Link from behind and gently patted the hero's shoulder. "It is such a shame that this place of refuge had to be attacked. I quite enjoyed it here," he hummed. He suddenly looked up at Link with melancholy eyes, yet a sanguine smile. "We can always rebuild. Just try to get everyone safe, okay? Unfortunately, we can't bring them into the mountains now that they're infested. I don't know where to take my people, nor this village."

Link stared at him in confusion, wondering why the elder would possibly start a conversation at a time like this.

"I've already lost two gorons," he started again with a heavy sigh. "We're not going to be able to save everyone, so we'll have to hurry and think quickly to save who we have left."

"Are you two going to keep talking or are you going to defend the humans?!" A sudden voice called.

Gor Coron's eyes suddenly trailed away from Link and looked out at one of the gorons. "Ahhh, look! There goes Darbus," he admired as the goron smashed a dynalfos across the chest. Gor Coron suddenly chuckled. "Alright, stay on your toes. I'm going to aid in getting rid of these monsters." Before another word could be said, he rolled into a ball right next to Darbus and started crushing and smashing the enemies.

Link didn't stand around to watch his friend go away; he raced for the safe house to check and see if anyone was there. Ilia just emerged from the building as Link came by. Her facial expression was masked beyond grieved. "Beth and Hanch and Sera and their cat got stuck inside and we're trying to get them out right now!"

"Where's Talo?!" Pergie asked as she rapidly arrived to the scene, clinging Malo in her arms and Jaggle catching up behind. "I can't find him anywhere!"

Mayor Bo and Uli just managed to bring out Rusl and their child. Uli's head jerked around every which way, looking for someone as well. "Colin?" She panicked, "I haven't seen him! Someone please find him!"

"Fado's missing too!" Jaggle shouted.

Link began to feel nervous as he looked behind him at the burning town. There was so much to do. He had to hurry and find everyone. Ilia and Renado were still getting one of the families out. Some of the villagers were missing. He wasn't sure if everyone would be saved. The town was quickly incinerating, and he knew that if Zant was the cause of this then there would be no survivors. Link handed off his boomerang to Ilia so she could keep the flames from nearing the family inside. He then turned and dashed back to the town in search of the missing villagers.

Link sped into every burning home and checked them thoroughly. He had to find his absent friends no matter what happened. He cupped his hands over his mouth and called their names, but there was no reply. When the house was discovered empty, he'd race back outside into the next house, repeating the process. Unfortunately, he just could not seem to find them anywhere. It seemed as if he checked every place, but where could they have gone off to? His eyes watched the gorons pound down on the threatening monsters. Could they have gotten eaten? Or taken?

There was a sudden scream far off from the watch tower. Of course! He hadn't checked there, yet. It must have been Talo, who always watched over the town from that point. Link's legs jolted for the pathway to the tower, passing up every monster that went to hit at the hero. Normally, his first priority would be to rid the village of any threats, but right now his friends were in danger and had to be saved. He arrived at the bottom of the tower in a matter of minutes, and screams could still be heard from inside. He darted inside and was struck with misery after noticing a body on the floor. Its body was burning, but the figure remained unmoved. Whoever it was, they were already long since dead. Link crouched down to look at the face. It was Fado.

Link took a deep, sickened breath. He felt as if he was about to throw up. That was one of his childhood friends lying face down on the floor slowly falling to ashes. He, the hero who saved all of Hyrule, couldn't even manage to save that one person. So what kind of hero was he? Link bit his lip as he gazed woefully at his demised friend. Fado would be missed.

An interrupting scream erupted from the second floor, far more frenetic than before. Link didn't have time to mourn over his friend's death; he flew up the ladder to find Talo stuck under a giant board from the ceiling. Colin was doing his best to move it aside but was ultimately failing due to his lack of strength. "Link!" Talo coughed. "I'm on fire! I can feel it!"

Link couldn't see where he was talking about. He didn't have the gale boomerang to aid him, anyway. Link dug his hands under the board and tried his best to lift it up with Colin's help. As the board began to rise, other boards behind him fell on Talo's backside, causing him to shriek in pain. Link stepped over the large board and started throwing all of the planks off of his friend. Smoke was now able to free itself and lifted out of the gap in the ceiling. Colin rapidly opened the door so that they could have more air. The hero was now able to slide Talo out from underneath the board and throw him over his shoulder. He had become unconscious, and the burn on his leg was as clear as day, but at least he was safe.

Link and Colin dashed outside through the open door. Smoke was pouring out of the exit, so it had to be shut so they could see and breathe. How were they to get down from where they were? They couldn't go back; the fire was climbing up from the inside and would be impossible to get through. Colin clung onto Link to grab his attention. "Where's a chicken? We can fly down like that!" He suggested, but none of those creatures were in sight.

All that he could think to use was the spinner, and maybe they could scale down the mountain that way. Link tentatively took out the spinner, putting all of his trust into it. If this plan didn't work, they'd plummet to their deaths. With an unconfident throw, he tossed the spinner over the ledge, took a strong hold on Colin and jumped over the fence onto the spinner. At first, the machine violently wobbled and was extremely difficult to balance on, but the hero managed to naturally control the beast once moving to smoother ground. The wind whipped their hair and clothes all around as they sped down the side of the wall. They were going much faster than Link was hoping for. The trio was quickly approaching the floor. Link leaned back trying to slow it down, but as he attempted to do so the spinner bounced off of an unsmooth piece in the wall, sending them all flying forward into the air.

Everyone screamed as they plummeted down and down. Link spun around and tightly caressed the children in his arms so that way they'd land on him once the trio hit the ground. However, rather than smashing on the ground, they slammed right through the ceiling of one of the houses, breaking boards and planks every which way, yet it made their fall a little bit less harsh than smacking hard dirt. The fire was just as hot in there as it was in the tower. Link slowly sat up and coughed, then strenuously rose to his feet. His head was spinning and his back was aching due to the pain of the crash, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. Colin moved his way forward and opened the door for the hero and they all immediately exited the crumbling building.

Pergie and Jaggle and a goron were the first to arrive at the scene, the mother carrying the squirming Malo protectively in their arms. "Please, tell me he's okay!" Pergie cried with a quivering voice. Link anxiously handed off the injured boy to their father and they examined their child, lightly sobbing over his burns. "Thank the gods this is the worst that happened. Thank you, Link! Thank you for saving him!"

"We have to hurry and get out of here," the goron said, taking the feeble child in his sturdy arms. "I was informed of more monsters swarming from the volcano. The carriage is waiting for all of you." He turned and began to speed towards the carriage with Pergie and Jaggle and Malo following closely behind.

Link nodded. He and Colin were now making their way back to the safe house to see if everyone was alright over there. But when they returned, everyone was drastically crying. The building had been engulfed in flames. Link assumed that the family inside had been scorched to a crisp; there was no maybe, for it was most certainly so. Beth and Hanch and Sera and their cat were just as dead as Fado.

Ilia turned around, constant tears streaming down her face. "I tried, Link! I did! I just couldn't save them!" She wailed, throwing herself into Link's chest. He tautly threw his arms around her back and squeezed her. He could feel her shaking tremendously, and he was trembling as well.

"We cannot stick around any longer," Renado called, helping Luda into the carriage. "Those monsters will be sure to come and get us if we stay. Let us move! We are going to Castle town to Telma's bar."

The remainder of the villagers climbed into the carriage, Colin instantly clinging to his mother. They were all careful not to crowd around the wounded so that they could have their space as needed. Many of the gorons rolled their way out of the village, not being able to defend the mountain like they always had. In a matter of minutes, the once safe village would be infested with monsters and they would be forced to flee, unknowing of where to head next. All that the gorons could do was walk with the Ordonians to safety.

Mayor Bo mounted Rusl's horse and trotted to the front of the carriage so that he could defend it from the front. Link remained in the back with Epona. As the carriage began to move, Link looked back at the scorching village. Unfortunately, the hero wasn't able to save everyone like he had always been able to. Several of his very close friends had died that day, and he would never be able to talk with them or laugh with them or see them ever again. Link removed his hat to pay his respects for the deceased, staring wistfully at the fire spreading across the sky. He then moved Epona to follow the carriage. Maybe if he was lucky, the rest of his friends would at least survive.

* * *

**At least Link is finally going to make his way to Castle Town, right? Or maybe there will be another delay ... ? Whooo knows? Thank you all for keeping up with the story so far. I really appreciate it!**


	11. Many Regrettable Actions

Chapter 11: Many Regrettable Actions

The village and the gorons had to traverse the longer path if they wished to reach Castle Town, considering the west gate was still blocked. Along the way, countless numbers of monsters and enemies tried their attempt in attacking the group, but they never managed to even near the crowd with the strong gorons about, not to mention Link's handy bow and arrow. The hero was set on protecting his people after the unspeakable tragedy that occurred. He was heartbroken and his pride had sizzled into nothing; he felt worthless. As long as he was able to protect the few people he had left, then maybe he could somehow redeem himself.

Everyone remained silent along the way, not wanting to remember a thing that had happened only a few hours ago. Ilia was the only Ordonian who chose to speak, doing her best to cheer up the group. She pointed out landmarks and monsters that Link had taught her about, and as they passed over the bridge she wouldn't stop going on about the glories of Lake Hylia. The children were awed by her tales, easily distracted from the recent terrors. They wanted to hop out of the back and gander at the waters, but that wouldn't be an option according to Link. They obediently stayed inside.

In a matter of no time by the setting of the sun, Link and the group finally approached the East Gate of Castle Town, the location that he had been aiming for since the beginning of his journey. Now he was finally about to enter. After all of the hardships he faced, all of the troubles he dealt with, all of the drama he experienced, all of the losses he had, he was finally entering the gate. Link let out a deep sigh of relief. Of course, he'd have to drop the village off somewhere safe inside first before continuing on his journey by himself. It was just a part of his nature to make sure his friends were in good hands.

As the villagers dispersed themselves from the carriage, Link was busy disguising himself so that he wouldn't be bombarded by eccentric fans. He only cloaked himself with a brown robe, but it was enough so that no one could see his face.

"Unfortunately, there won't be near enough room in Telma's bar for the large group of us," Ilia informed, looking quite distressed.

"When my son and I would travel," one of the gorons started, "we would always hide inside a large tower. There is enough room to store the gorons in there." He assured the crowd with a bright smile and a pat on his small son's head.

Renado looked at Luda, then at the rest of the villagers in concentration. "I hope Telma will understand and make room for us," he plainly spoke. "It is important that we have a place to stay in order to nurse our people back to health."

Everyone became silent, hopeful that there would be a safe place for them. They were tired of their sanctuaries burning down and greatly desired to abide in a space where destruction would cease to exist. With that in mind, they moved forward into the gate, clueless of what lied ahead of them. Link led the injured to the infirmary, while the gorons went their separate ways and went off into the tower. Ilia led the rest of the group over to Telma's bar in hopes that they'd be able to stay there until it was safe to leave again.

They were given strange looks from the Hylians of Castle Town.

* * *

"Oh, pleeease, Telma! You have to let them stay!" Ilia begged, scooting in closer to her old friend.

Telma crossed her arms as she stood behind the bar and grunted. "I don't have room for all of these people, child! What kind of place do you think this is? A motel? I hardly have room for myself and my cat!"

Renado suddenly peeked his head in, leading the injured into the room. "Hello, Telma. What a long time it has been since we have seen each other," he greeted with a warm gleam in his eyes. He made his way to the bar and stood next to Ilia, now smiling gratefully at the gerudo woman. "Please, I hope it is not too much trouble … You see, our village was attacked by a frenzied crowd of wild animals. Would it be too much to ask that we stayed for a few nights?"

Telma obviously couldn't resist the indian's smooth charms. She felt herself blushing, so she disguised it with a nod of her head and a smile to match her lover's. "Honey, you can stay here any time," she cooed with a wink. She made her way from behind her bar and fixed up the bed for Rusl, who was having difficulty walking inside. Telma watched him in disbelief, wondering how such a once strong man of the Resistance could have been injured so severely. "Rusl? What happened to you?"

Rusl let a light chuckle dance on his tongue before flopping onto the bed. He immediately fell into it and slightly winced in pain, then looked up at his familiar friend. "Just a little scar, is all. It'll heal up quickly."

Telma cocked a sassy eyebrow. Without a word of bicker, she turned and pulled down another bed in the wine cellar so that Talo could lie there. Thankfully, they appeared to be the only two who were severely wounded. Considering the town doctor hadn't done much but sedate them, the serviceable gerudo retreated to the cabinets and pulled out some red potions, then handed one to Pergie and Uli so they could heal up their men. Telma then looked over at Link and familiarly grinned at him. "Feel free to rest up all you like," she offered, referring to everyone as a whole. She strolled back behind her bar before anyone else could say a word.

Pergie wasted no time in healing Talo's leg; she immediately poured some of the potion onto his burn. The small child silently winced, and in a matter of a few minutes he was completely awake and complaining nonstop about the pain. Telma was also kind enough to give Pergie's beloved son some of Castle Town's Moomoo Milk to ease the burn. It wasn't long before the pain went down and his injury started to seal up, although the scar would forever remain on his body.

Link, being the prideful hero he was, refused anymore treatment than what he had been given. His wound had already been re-stitched multiple times since the accident occurred, and he knew that his people needed the aid more than he did, so he put the offers of assistance down. Besides, his wound hadn't reopened since the visit in Lake Hylia, so there was no use in bothering to fix it. However, Ilia was persistent about at least putting a bit more red potion on it to heal it up quicker. She easily forced the hero down with Telma's help and had her ways with restoring the hero just a little bit more. By now, the scar was practically gone.

Rusl was also given another few jars of red potion for his severe blow, and so were others who were injured in the fire. Everyone who had the slightest scratch was treated by the benevolent Telma, who spent the remainder of the night tending to everyone's needs. Renado, Luda and Ilia also lent a helping hand to the busy gerudo.

Link watched the devoted 'doctors' scurry back and forth. He would have liked to have aided in the procedures, but he held no knowledge on nursing or doctoring. Instead, he would let the quadruplet handle the difficult business. He sat patiently with watchful eyes, waiting to make sure that the villagers were absolutely in good health. They secluded themselves with their families and loved ones, keeping each other as comfortable and as cheery as possible despite the violent destruction they just faced. Even Barnes managed to corner himself with some of the drunken soldiers. Thankfully, the small group seemed well. Everyone had someone to abide merry thoughts in, except for Link. He had no one, as usual, so his mind was constantly locked on the terrors of Kakariko.

In his silent loneliness, he decided to pull out the picture of his mother he received earlier. It would comfort him, at least. He reached down into his shirt to pull it out, but oddly enough it wasn't there. His hands slid down his clothes and started checking in his pockets, then into his pouch. It wasn't anywhere on him. Where was it? Did he leave it somewhere? Ah, Rusl. That's right. He had handed it off to the man right before the chaos started. He still had it, too. Link had to retrieve it from him, so he stood up from his spot and joined Rusl's family by his side.

Uli smiled warmly at Link. "I think the children and I are going to get a bit of fresh air. Will you please watch over him?" She kindly asked, referring to her husband.

Link nodded his head and watched them rise and head outside without any hesitation. His eyes then trailed back to the slumbering Rusl. That picture was somewhere on his body. Would it be too uncivil to search his sleeping body for that photo? Link looked back at the group. They were all involved in their own occupations. Of course they wouldn't pay any mind to him, right? Link dawned on the odd thought, but he craved to hold that picture again. Link's hand lifted from his lap and hovered its way over Rusl's chest at the possibility that it would be in his shirt somewhere.

But before he could even search the man, Rusl's eyes fluttered open and he grinned at the hero whose hand quickly retreated. Link was never able to hold a good poker face, because the old man could immediately tell that something was wrong by the hero's expression. "Hey there, my boy. Everything alright with you?" Rusl asked in concern.

Link hesitated at first, but ended in confessing anyway. Besides, he was still somewhat eager of what Rusl was going to tell him earlier.

Rusl seemed a bit confused, and his hands slowly but surely began to check himself for the photograph. His eyes suddenly became worrisome. His uneasy voice followed as well. "Hmm … Link, I … I can't find it. I'm sorry, son. I must have dropped it when the commotion started."

Link's eyes widened. He could have sworn he felt his heart stop. That was the only photograph of his mother, the only evidence that she was still out there somewhere. And now it was gone; most likely burned up along with the rest of the village. Now he had nothing to remember his mother by but his sweet memories of that flawless face. Had Rusl even realized how important that photograph was to him? Link's most precious item out there was left in the hands of one of his most trusted pals only to be so easily discarded. And maybe that was it- the terrible thing. Rusl didn't want Link to know about his parents. They probably weren't even in Castle Town. They were probably dead. Or worse. Maybe they never cared. It was just some silly quest Link was thrown on. Rusl had lied to him. It was all a joke! _A joke!_

The folly conclusion drove Link mad. He couldn't make sense of anything; his thoughts were scrambling about trying to perceive sanity into the situation. Link stood from his seat. Without thinking, he roughly took a hold of Rusl's shirt, hindered his own arm as far back as he could bring it and regrettably sped his balled fist forward right into the old man's nose.

Rusl grunted in pain as his nose instantly began to pour that dreaded red color. He looked up at Link with pleading eyes. "I'm sorry, Link," he coaxed, trying to calm the hero down. "No need for violence. I didn't mean to lose your photo! I'm sure we can find i-" But before he could continue, Link already decked him again in the cheek, following with another blow and another, being unable to control himself in the violence.

Everyone was silent only for a split second as they became aware of the conflict and immediately turned into an uproar once realizing the harm being done. They begged for Link to stop and wondered if they should stop him themselves, but how could they even begin to cease the hero's unlawful acts? He was far too strong for them, but they couldn't let him continue his dastardly ways.

Ilia was struck with astonishment as she noticed the goodhearted hero beating his long term friend. She raced to the hero and tried her hardest to pull him away, but he was far too strong for her. "Link, please stop!" She cried, though it was obviously no use. "You're hurting him! We can get another photo from Emmaus! She said she had more, remember?!" It was hopeless. There was no getting through to him. He wasn't going to stop in his violence. But she had to force him to a halt somehow! A sudden idea sprouted in her mind, although she'd feel guilty for doing so. But it had to be done. Her hand frantically snatched one of Telma's bar bottles and she fiercely shattered the glass on the hero's head. That was the end of that conflict.

Link stopped. It was as if he had awoken. Rusl's shirt slid out of Link's loosening grip. The old man didn't look fearful nor in pain. He looked hopeless, knowing he had done the hero wrong, but he didn't expect anything this drastic from the boy. Had he known the child would have committed those actions, he would have held onto that photo for dear life. Yet, all he could do was pensively stare at the distraught hero, wondering what would happen next, wondering what else could be done to ease him.

Link hung his hands by his side as he looked at the old man. He had never meant to do anything like that. He had never meant to harm his dear friend. Rusl's expression terrified Link. He didn't even wish to turn around to see the rest of the crowd's faces. He knew they'd most likely be far worse, considering their sensitive emotions. Link took a step away from the bed, but his back bumped into someone's front. He spun around and looked into the apprehensive and bewildered eyes of Ilia. She moved away from him, fearful of what he'd do. Link's spine tingled. He felt like a monster.

"Link, I know you're stressed," Ilia whispered, "but we all are. We all suffered terrible losses and we're all healing together. It's okay, Link. We'll figure out everything together."

The hero kept his eyes locked on the floor. Ilia's words went into one ear and fled out of the other. He didn't bother to look at anyone else. He trudged out of the bar just as Uli and Colin and the baby entered. A surprised scream erupted from the mother's mouth, but Link didn't bother to turn around. He continued forward, consumed with guilt.

Link was now blinded by fury, confusion, regret and deceit. All he could focus on was the location of that picture. He had to get that picture. Despite his duty as the Hero of Hyrule, he couldn't help but think about that photograph. Unfortunately, after all of the destruction that was being caused, Hyrule would have to wait. He would have to get the remaining Triforce pieces later. His mind was set on retrieving that photograph. Link raced through the dark streets of Hyrule, the cape and hood of his cloak flying about behind him. In a matter of moments he had already exited the town and hopped onto Epona's backside, whipping at her reigns. Epona neighed and kicked her front feet before bolting into a run. They were headed straight back to the terrible place which they had just left.

* * *

The sunrise was just peaking over the mountains. Epona slowed to a stop at the edge of Kakariko village, refusing to enter any further. Smoke and dust filled the air, and it was sure to be filled with monsters like Ordon village had been. That wasn't going to stop the determined Link, however. He jolted off of the horse and dashed right into the blinding dust. Screams and cries of menacing monsters echoed into the deep sky. Roars and screeches spread from one end of the village to the other. They were everywhere, easily wreaking havoc amongst the leftovers of the abandoned village. However, there was nothing left for the creatures to destroy. They had completed their task in causing demolition to the once peaceful town. So what were they still doing there?

There was no time to ponder futile questions, for the hero immediately came across his first threatening enemy. Link spun in a circle and sliced his sword through the monster with ease. His brain didn't even have time comprehend what the creature was; he had slaughtered and passed it by without even stopping in his tracks. Multiple amounts of monsters swarmed about him, but Link horrifically slashed through them all. This tiresome nonsense went on throughout the entire visit in the village. Enemy blood splattered across the grounds of Kakariko, sticking to the bottom of the hero's shoes. Footprints trailed behind him as he raced off. It was a dreadful scene. As time went on, the monsters started to die down. Link easily rid the village of the majority of the enemies.

Now that the fiends were out of his way, he was able to continue the path to his designated area. The fog was clear around the nursing home, the possible location of the lost photograph. Link drug his heavy feet along the rubble of the destroyed home, completely worn out from the nonstop battle. It must have been nearing noon since he had started battling all of those creatures. His eyes looked from one corner of the house to the other. Little snakes of smoke scarcely fled from openings in the brick of the nursing home. It would be nearly impossible to dig up the photograph in destruction like this. The picture had most likely already burned up in the earlier flames. It was pointless, an absolute waste of time to have arrived just to search for a piece of paper that was probably gone. So what was he still doing there?

Link turned back to the dirt road and plodded onto the bloody ground. It was idiotic to have come. It was about time he focused on his mission; saving Hyrule. Besides, it was just a picture. Like Ilia said, he could always retrieve more from that deceitful Emmaus. Link sighed. He was in no mood for thoughts like that. He only wished to fall into a deep sleep and to never wake up. How quickly the day had went by.

The road was becoming clearer of smoke as time went on. Monsters were also departing, having no reason to stay now that the village was in ruins. Link looked from one demolished building to the next, grieved by what could've have been prevented. He, the hero of all of Hyrule, couldn't even manage to save a simple town. And he was there when it happened. Shameful. His eyes crossed from Malo Mart to the safe house. All of it had crumbled. He wondered who all had died within these homes. He already held close relationships with Fado and the family that died in the safe house; Sera, Haunch and poor, little Beth. They were such all such merry people. They would most indefinitely be missed.

Link began to pass by the safe house. He couldn't help but stare. It wasn't fair that such an innocent and harmless family had to die under such malicious conditions. Worst of all, he couldn't do anything about it. All he could do was commit revenge on the wicked demon who caused all of this; Zant. From then on, he vowed to bring an end to Zant's unmoral reign, and he would make sure that the creature would stay in his grave.

All of a sudden, a small squeak erupted from the safe house. Link looked back at it sanguinely. Was the family still alive? He began to stride its way, the noise growing louder in volume. But as he approached, he realized that those weren't squeaks he heard; they were meows. Link stopped before the rubble of the house in confusion. There, hunched against the side of the wall, was a sickly and devastated cat. Sera's cat. Sera's beloved cat was still alive and well. Link couldn't help but awkwardly smile. He oddly chuckled at the unpleasant situation. The cat looked at him, marked with an expression of abandonment and fright. The hero fell to his knees as the small feline ran and jumped into his arms. He wistfully squeezed her and the cat lovingly clawed at his shoulder, both wishing that the family would return to them, along with Fado. Unfortunately, it wouldn't happen, but at least they had each other in their moment of desolation.

Link stood once again, gently caressing the now homeless cat. They were there for each other; they were family from then on, or so Link decided. As much as the feline desired to move to a safe place, Link was now renewed in confidence again in finding the photo. It was something valuable to him, and he should always seek to find that of which was valuable to him. He made his way back to the nursing home and began digging away in the broken bricks and stone. Even his cat moved what little rocks it could, unknowing although attempting to find whatever Link was searching for.

The heavy sun dragged on across the sky that beat down on Link's clothed body. He grew tired and hot with all of the strenuous effort he was putting forth. As much as he craved to take a break, he wasn't going to; he wanted that picture no matter what. His hands and gloves were covered in scratches, bruises and dirt and his back was aching from bending down for so long. The smoke that slid through the rubble burned his eyes and throat. He was miserable, searching for some piece of paper, but he wasn't leaving until he gathered it. It was just as important to him as saving Hyrule, although it wasn't near as important to everyone else.

From the corner of his eye, he thought he could see something in the distance. A stuck piece of paper waving around in the piled rocks. That was it. What he was looking for. Link crawled on his hands and knees over the rubble and reached his hand out for the slip of paper. However, he was struck with disappointment as it turned out to be nothing but a small sheet with words. Link let go of the slip, letting it fly about it in the wind. Despite the hard efforts he had put forth all day, he'd have to keep searching.

Link forced himself up with a huff before looking around the area. By sunset, all of the smoke had finally washed away. He could clearly see the destruction brought by the monsters of Hyrule. The floor was filled with ashes, blood and rubble. It was truly a sad sight for the once safe haven of Kakariko village. Its state was just as awful as Ordon. It would take a lot more than stringing straw huts together to rebuild this place. He wondered how terrible the goron's mountains looked, or if even Zora's Domain was still standing. At least Lake Hylia and Castle Town were still in good shape, and hopefully it would remain that way by the time Zant was stopped.

A small claw tugged at Link's boot. He looked down and smiled at the meowing cat, but she didn't look at all pleased. Link's eyes creased into slight confusion and he turned around to see what she was crying about. And there it was. There stood Midna in the middle of the bloodied, dirt road. What was she doing here? He couldn't fall into her trap this time. He rose in anxiety. He hadn't even gathered the other pieces of the Triforce, yet. Now that he knew what he was up against, he felt small and worthless. There was no absolute way he would be able to defend himself from such a creature. Link stood his ground, at the least that a hero could do. He only hoped that the enemy wouldn't do anything rash, not until Link gathered his supplies.

The wind slightly lifted their clothes. They stared at each other in the silence, as if waiting for the other's reaction. Midna wickedly smiled. She seemed well-relaxed, knowing she had a slight advantage against the hero, although Link was still much stronger than her until she gained the Triforce pieces. Instead of showing her fear, she easily flaunted a confident coat. Her wild natured fingers wriggled against her hip and she fluttered her malevolent eyelashes. "You sure are a hard worker, hero," she hissed. "I've been practically watching you all day."

Link bowed his head, although keeping his eyes on the dastardly creature. She could've attacked him at any moment she pleased, yet she chose not to. What could have been her reasoning was beyond Link's knowledge, but it made him feel extremely anxious.

"Could it be…" she started again, lifting her arm, "… that you're possibly looking for this?" A flame engulfed her hand. When it evanesced, the photograph of his mother appeared. The only damage done was the burnt lower right corner. Thankfully, that was all.

Link scowled. How had she gotten that picture? Link unsheathed his sword and took hold of his shield. More than anything he wanted that photo. It belonged to him, so he would do everything in his power to retrieve it. The hero sliced his sword through the air and then dashed for the princess. Midna remained unmoved as he approached at an abnormally rapid pace. He wouldn't dare slash through his dear friend. It wasn't in his nature. She knew him all too well, so she only stood there. However to her surprise, the sword raised high above the hero's head, only to be flipped around so that Link was now grabbing the blade, and he swung the heavy handle right across Midna's head.

Midna let out a shriek of pain as she staggered backwards, clutching onto her wounded head. She removed her hand to see dots of blood marked on her palm. Blood also trickled down from her scalp, over the end of her eyebrow and thick down her cheek. Her nefarious gaze shot from the hand to the hero, glaring at him with every bit of wrath she had ever kept stirring inside of her. Link had made a very grave mistake.

Link stared at her as well, easily regretting his decision. He had no intentions of making her bleed, but he had apparently hit her with the handle far harder than he sought to. The crimson color ran down his sword from his hand, the blade cutting into his glove. He let go of the weapon and let it clatter onto the ground, now covered with his own blood, dirt and ashes. Most importantly, his weapon's handle was tarnished with the red of his dear friend's blood that sprinkled from her skull. Thankfully, it was only minor considering he didn't cut her with the blade, but her head wound looked excruciating. He never meant to beat her with that much force.

They stared at each other, unsure of how to handle the situation. Neither of them showed pain or sorrow, but only scorn. They weren't friends, but enemies. They would remain that way until everything died down, until Link brought an end to it all.

Midna stood up straight again, disregarding the throbbing pain in her head. She threw the picture down to the dirt and whispered for him to keep it. She then turned away from him, but didn't leave. Link cautiously watched her, making sure to at least defend himself with his shield if she struck and attack. She turned again to face him, grinning once more as if nothing had ever happened. "You know, hero, I've always admired your gallant appearance… but not like this," she spat, her grin disappearing. She suddenly flew forward like a witch, and Link quickly lifted his shield to block her attack. Midna lifted her arms high above herself and brought them crashing down onto the shield, which powerfully hit Link's head and forced him down in an instant.

The corners of Midna's lips creased upwards as she watched the shield shake and rattle, the hero moving underneath his large cloak. Link was transforming. She had used the shield to smash the piece of Twilight Relic deeper into Link's skull, causing him to return to his beast form. She didn't bother to wait for the completion of the transformation; the Princess of Twilight was already warping out of the scene.

Link remained unmoved, not because he was injured or unconscious, but because he was devastated by his form. He didn't want to stand, knowing he wouldn't rise on two legs. He stared down at his paws, horrified by the scene. It would have been one thing had he and Midna been pals so that she could easily turn him back, but now he was stuck this way. What else could he do? It would be almost impossible to defeat her now as a mere dog. He woefully stood on all fours, the shield and cloak sliding from his back. His paw surged with pain, having been sliced open by the blade and now stepping on burning ashes and dirt. He would've liked to have rethought that action.

The picture. It suddenly ran across his mind again, his sole purpose for returning to the village.

Link limped his way over to the photograph lying on the ground face down. He wanted it, but how was he to take hold of it in such a form? Even if he grabbed it with his mouth, he would be sure to ruin the beloved picture. He sat down and stared at it. He couldn't do anything in his beast form. He might as well have just gone into Hyrule Castle and retrieved the other piece of the Triforce. It was pointless to come for a picture that he could have easily gotten from Emmaus again. Link whimpered, knowing it was a mistake to come to Kakariko village. He should have just completed his duties as the Hero of Hyrule instead of wasting his time with less important things such as this.

The cat had been observing everything the entire time, and she immediately raced to Link's side to comfort him. She purred and rubbed against his ash-colored fur coat. "It's alright, hero. Don't be sad. We'll figure out everything together."

_We'll figure out everything together._ Those were the same exact words that Ilia had said to him before he left. He wished he had at least apologized to everyone before childishly departing, but it was far too late now. He would just have to continue on with his journey. From then on, no side quests or dilly dallying. He was on a mission to save Hyrule.

* * *

**So while I was searching for the name of the cat, I found it to be named "Link." Ha, Link the cat. It's been so long since I've played the game that I probably forgot it. To avoid confusion, I won't be using the name Link for the cat. She will simply be "the cat" or "the feline," and such. Haha, Link the cat. That's so adorable!  
Also, sorry for posting the chapter so late. I've been awfully busy, and I'm going to be much busier these next few weeks. I'll try to get chapters out as quick as I can, but please forgive me if I don't manage. Thank you!**


	12. The Princess of Hyrule

Chapter 12: The Princess of Hyrule

Link, Epona and the cat companion were now making their way back to Hyrule Castle. The full moon stood high above the trio, guiding them with its precious light. The monsters were scarce on nights like these. Legends say that the sacred goddess, Hylia, embedded herself within the core of the moon so that she could easily watch over her people and protect them with the illumination. Tales such as those must have been true, considering Link had hardly seen a monster throughout the entire night so far. He sent a silent prayer to the goddess, thanking her for her benevolence and protection.

The moon had just hit the middle of the sky by the time the trio reached the sacred grounds of Castle Town. Epona, as usual, was forced to stay behind. Link and his cat moved forward, making their way through the empty streets. The hero was set on making his way straight to Zelda to retrieve the second piece of Triforce. However before Link would enter the fortress, he felt it was necessary to drop his little friend off with the rest of the village. He led the clueless feline to Telma's bar where the people of Ordon would easily recognize her as Sera's cat and accept her inside the foreign grounds.

Link looked down at the cat who smiled up at him. "Thank you for saving me," she purred, rubbing against his fur. "You might want to give me that picture, or you'll be sure to lose it. I promise I'll take good care of it."

Earlier, the feline had shoved the photograph deep into his fur for safekeeping. It was a smart idea; Link would have never thought about it. Then again, he wasn't used to being a wolf and thinking like an animal. He would definitely have to get used to it since it seemed like he was going to be stuck this way for a long while. The cat dug behind his coat with her claws and out slid the photo. She gently and carefully picked it up with her teeth. Link stared at her, grateful that he had such a companion to help him out like that.

Link scratched on the wooden door with his enormous claws and quickly retreated back into the street. They would have been terrified at the sight of a wolf. He then watched from behind the corner. The door opened with Telma standing in the doorway. Despite all her stress, her benignant expression refused to leave her weary face. She looked down at the animal and grinned. "Ahhh, now what do we have here?" Link could hear Telma sing. She crouched down and took a hold of the kitten, lifting her up into her arms. She then looked back inside. "Looks like we got ourselves a new friend."

"That's Sera's cat!" Someone called from inside.

"Thank the goddess that she's okay!"

"Maybe the family is still alive! Should we go back?"

Link couldn't hear them speak anymore. The light from the doorway disappeared, and the door came to a close. Link felt content with himself, knowing he had saved yet another life. It didn't actually redeem himself, but it made him feel just a little better.

The deed was done. Link turned to depart from the scene, when he was suddenly startled to see an armed guard standing behind him. The soldier's arms and legs were shaking tremendously and he could hardly keep a tight hold on his weapon. He was struck with fear staring down at the beast. Link was used to being treated this way after coming to Hyrule Castle the last time he was a wolf. The hero paid no mind to the frightened guard as he continued his way down the empty streets. The moon no longer guided him, for the lantern posts and torches on the walls of the town did better for him.

He strolled into the town square and passed by the fountain. By this time, several guards had surrounded him. Link was starting to feel uneasy. Some of the guards already felt bold enough to poke him with their weapons. The hero walked up to the north gate, guarded by two soldiers. They deemed far braver in Link's eyes, for they refused to leave their post once the ferocious wolf appeared. They held onto their shields and moved in front of his path, their weapons aiming right for him.

Link came to a halt. Was he really going to have to fight them? The hero took a battle stance and growled up at the soldiers. All of the weaker soldiers behind him screamed and fled for safety, not bothering to even take a chance with the fearsome hound. The two gate guards, however, only remained unmoved. They held on tighter to their weapons and took a step forward to the beast. Link growled again, only this time a bit louder. He let out a vicious bark and leapt forward towards the guards, being careful about his wounded paw. That had done it. They dropped their weapons and dashed in the opposite direction, heading straight for the castle.

Link looked back at the town behind him. A trail of one bloody paw print followed behind him. He had to hurry and get that wound sealed before an even bigger mess was made. The hero disregarded the mess made and dashed inside the north gate, heading straight for the castle. Numerous amounts of guards were placed all over the castle grounds, yet they only stood there as the beast raced through the gardens. They were probably too fearful to move. How distasteful for soldiers of such high standard to portray such fear. Poor Zelda definitely needed to train her soldiers.

Ah, Zelda. Emmaus had said at one point that they were cousins, but was that true? If Link ever returned to his human form he would most certainly have to ask if that was true. That would be the closest thing he had to a family. He couldn't help but feel excited to see the princess at that point. Maybe Zelda could tell him something about the rest of his family, or his parents. It would be miraculous if she could introduce him to them. Maybe they were still truly somewhere inside the castle, lying around like royalty. The hero sped at a quicker pace for the castle, eager to reunite with the princess so he could obtain the details.

The beast arrived to the towering doors of Hyrule Castle. However, a sudden thought occurred to him; he couldn't open doors! He was a wolf. He didn't have hands or thumbs or anything necessary to open something as simple as this. Link sat down and hung his head low. He probably encountered what would be the most difficult task of his quest. Link groaned and stood back up, looking back at the garden. He would have to find different means of entering the castle. He had done it before, hadn't he? Or was he human at the time when he had done so? He couldn't remember. Link's ears fell down and he strolled along the stone path. It was bothersome being a dog.

The hero walked onto the grass, now moving towards one of the sides of the castle. There was a flight of stairs somewhere around these grounds, whether on the east or the west side. Nevertheless he was sure to find it at some point. Link came to an immediate stop once entering one of the gardens and traced his eyes along the area, searching for that precious staircase. His eyes managed to land on a ladder. Not much use for a dog, but he was a hero. He was capable of climbing up a mere ladder, wasn't he?

Link strolled to the ladder and gazed up at it. Now that he was closer to the steep ladder he began to feel more and more unconfident that he could truly lift himself up there. Link placed his front right paw on the first step and then jumped up to place his front left foot higher. There, this was good progress, despite the stinging in his wound. He scooted closer to the ladder and lifted his hind leg on the bottom step, his first two paws on higher elevated steps. Just one more foot would do it. However, his hind leg that was supporting his entire body was already trembling. There was no possible way he could lift that leg up. Only one way to find out, he supposed. With a mighty leap, he jumped onto the ladder, his last foot latching onto the step. To his expectations, his paws were unable to grip the steps and he landed flat on his back.

Link quickly rolled over onto his stomach and jolted onto his feet again, being careful not to damage his paw more than it already was. The beast slightly growled, coming to the realization that his possibilities of climbing up that ladder were very poor. He now turned and sulked away, having to find new means of getting into the castle.

The hero suddenly came to a dead stop. He could hear something far off in the distance; screams, roars, calls. He recognized the noises all too well. It was on the far side of the castle, the other gate. Link wasted no time in pondering; he immediately bolted into a speedy run, kicking his legs as fast as he could, the quick wind blowing his fur back. He had to get to the sounds as fast as he could. Link raced around the front of the castle and made his way to the other side, skidding to a stop once seeing what was there. Three shadow beasts lurking about, soldiers clutching fearfully onto their weapons. The familiar screams and roars and calls echoed into the air.

Link's eyes narrows. For the shadow beasts to be present meant that Midna was somewhere near the castle. Link had to hurry and reach Zelda as soon as possible. But for now he had to destroy these shadow beasts. The soldiers finally dropped their weapons in fear and sped off into the corners of the garden to hide from the monsters, giving Link the chance to fight without interference.

Link leapt into the scene, coming straight for a lone shadow beast. The wolf let out a bark and bared his fangs as he lunged onto the back of the beast, clawing at its body. The shadow beast roared in pain and reached its long arms to grab at the wolf, but Link jumped off before it could take hold of him. In its daze, the hero again raced for the enemy and head-butted its back with his head, which sent the foe collapsing on the ground. Link waited a moment for it to move, but it only lied still.

The hero now turned to face the other two shadow beasts which headed right for him. Link had always been slightly afraid of the beasts in his human form, although he wasn't sure why. Maybe he just wasn't quick enough, or maybe because he felt that he had less control against the enemies. As a beast he could easily maneuver himself in and out of the beasts' grips. His agility was by far greater than that of his human form, which made it easier and safer to battle these monsters. As much as he hated the awful wolf form he had become, he was thankful that he was indeed a wolf. It was much easier battling the shadow beasts this way.

As the beasts approached him at a rapid pace, Link readied his fighting stance, patiently waiting for the beasts to arrive. They came closer and closer until an unlucky arrow was thrust into one of the shadow beasts, letting it fall to the ground. Had that arrow hit both shadow beasts, then it would have been convenient. However, this meant that Link would have to fight the shadow beasts all over again. Link's eyes glanced to see who had done such a thing, and he saw one of the soldiers firmly clenching a bow and arrow, the weapon still aimed at the beast. The poor man was shivering in his boots, yet he smiled at the beast and lifted an encouraging thumb. He thought he was helping, but unfortunately he was just making things more difficult.

The remaining beast let out a piercing cry, stinging the surrounding Hylians' ears. Link threw his paws over his ears to cover them from the screeches. The two deceased shadow beasts arose from the dead, cracking their backs and whipping their necks in the most gruesome manner. They were now all perfectly aware of their attackers; Link and the archer. It seemed that the deadliest threat was Link, so two of them stampeded for him while one shadow beast raced to the soldier.

Link readied his stance again. Half of him was concerned for the lone soldier and wondered whether he would be able to protect himself or not, yet the other half of him was locked on his battle. He had to kill both of them at once, so hopefully no one would intrude on his fight this time. Again the enemies came closer and closer. Link was completely prepared for them. As soon as they came close into contact, Link jumped high into the air above them. They both looked up at Link in wonder, and the hero came crashing down onto their heads. They both fell into a daze and wobbled about, doing their best not to lose their balance. Link was just about to finish them off when all of a sudden that detestable arrow shot through one of the beasts' heads again.

Link jerked his head back at the soldier. The archer had killed his own shadow beast, and now killed one of Link's enemies. Now they'd all awaken again. The hero let out a low growl. He was fed up with this archer who wasn't helping at all. He was only causing more trouble. The last shadow beast roared once more, waking up its partners. Link didn't let the noise bother him, for during that time he raced for the archer and threw the bow and arrow out of his hands. He was sick and tired of that useless weapon and was more than capable of handling the monsters on his own.

Link had the lead again. He wasted no time in darting around and slashing at the nearest shadow beast. The wolf ripped and tore at the enemy, throwing all of his anger out at that single one. Not even five seconds had passed when it had already fallen dead onto the dirt, staining the grass in blood. Link didn't mean to maul it so violently, but he couldn't control himself. It was only a shadow beast, anyway. The hero now dashed for the remaining beasts. He sped for them, ducking his head low. He then lunged for the enemies, throwing his claws in front of them and striking them both across the chest. It was just that easy; the beasts fell right onto their backs and didn't move another muscle. It would have gone by so much quicker had that soldier not decided to help.

Link turned back and looked at the archer. He slowly bent down and picked up his weapon, then looked up at the wolf and smiled and waved. "Hey, pooch. That's some nice fighting skills you got there," he complemented, but the hero only stared at him. Why was this soldier not afraid? He should have been shivering in his shoes like the rest of them. And by the looks of it, the other soldiers agreed. Their curious eyes quietly observed the archer who crossed over to the wolf.

"Who is he?" Someone asked. "I have never seen him before. Is he new?"

Link strained to see the archer's face through his helmet. The soldier bent down and scratched the hero behind the ears. "I've never seen a dog like you. You sure have some special talents," he added, standing up again. He looked behind him up at the castle. "We better get a move on if we want to help that Princess Zelda, agree?"

Link's eyes lit up. He couldn't believe that he had almost completely forgotten about the princess. Now he had someone who could open that door for him. He started off into a run, but the soldier immediately took a hold of Link's tail, keeping him from moving forward. Link looked back at the buffoon in frustration and confusion, wondering what the soldier could possibly be doing at a time like this.

"You can't keep going on with a foot like that," he soothed, kneeling down again. He dug around in his satchel for a bit and pulled out a long string of cloth. He then proceeded to tightly wrap the wound, sealing the cut. "There, that's more like it. You'll have less trouble running around now. Alright, let's get going," he said. The soldier forced himself up to his feet again and started to make his way to the front of the castle.

Link wondered who this kind and concerned soldier could have been. His smell was much more different than from the other soldiers. What was so special about him? Could he have been some sort of guardian sent down by the goddess? But that couldn't have been it. His scent was all too familiar. However, he couldn't place the scent on who the character was.

They strolled to the front of the castle and walked up the steps to the grand doors. The soldier took a hold of both handles, and with a grunt he threw the enormous doors open with ease. He looked back down at Link and lightly chuckled. "You'll have to lead me up to the princess with your nose. I don't have a clue where she could be at a time like this. Probably asleep in her bedroom, but even then I don't know where that is."

Link nodded. He dashed inside and looked around the room, scanning each and every individual door. There were stairs that lead up and doors that lead to more rooms. It was such a gargantuan castle and would be extremely difficult to find her. Not even his nose would help, considering he couldn't remember her scent or any scent at all. Besides, people passed in and out of the castle every day, so he couldn't be sure which smell was which. Regardless, the hero moved on, hoping to find the princess' bedroom by memory. If he was lucky, she'd be in there. It was night time, after all. She was bound to be sleeping in her bed, wasn't she?

They moved through doors and rooms and hallways and staircases, all in search of the beloved princess. Link anticipated in meeting her. That was his cousin. He wondered if she knew at all that they were related, or if the tale was even true. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that it was true. It would be the only family that he had ever known. Maybe Zelda would introduce him to her mother- his aunt, and maybe he'd be introduced to other secret family members. Maybe Zelda even knew the whereabouts of his parents.

Link suddenly stopped. He looked back at the soldier who was slowly trailing behind. The man warmly smiled down at the hero. "Pooch?"

Link blinked, only staring at him. Who was this man? Could he have possibly been his father? Who else could it have been? This soldier was gallant and bold and daring, just like Emmaus had stated. There was no doubt in Link's mind that his father had always been courageous, so was this possibly his father? Dressed in soldier's armor? This man was benevolent, carefree, yet brave, sharp. He was very similar to Link, so this must have been his father. Wasn't it? Link stared in admiration at the man. He was almost positive that this was indeed his father whom he had been searching for since the beginning of his quest.

"Everything okay, pooch? We have to keep moving," he suggested, blindly inching his way forward.

Link started to move again, this time at a faster pace. The soldier didn't once struggle to keep up; he was quickening his pace as long as the beast was. Link became slightly more doubtful that this was his parent. Had it been his father, the man would have been struggling to keep up due to his age. This soldier moved like a young man, strong and youthful. Yet, maybe it was possible that he moved with ease because he was a strong bearer of the Triforce. The Triforce. That was it. If Link held a piece of the Triforce, then most certainly his father did as well. The hero glanced back at the man to catch a glimpse of his hand, but it was covered with a glove. Oh well. Link would probably see it later on.

Now Link was in familiar grounds. He definitely recognized these parts of the castle. He was nearing Zelda's bedroom or at least another part of the castle that lead up to it. The soldier unlocked another door for him that opened up to a bridge. This bridge would lead out to yet another piece of the castle. Somewhere in that castle lied the princess' room. Link wondered how she didn't hear any of the commotion going on. The soldier quickly passed the hero up, suddenly stopping in the middle of the bridge. "Come on, pooch! We've got to hurry," he yelled.

Link quickly ran to the soldier's side, but stopped next to him. The soldier didn't seem entirely interested in his task at the moment; he walked over to the side and looked over the ledge, staring out at the gardens. Link's curiosity took the better of him, so he strode to the soldier's side and placed his two front paws on the wall, looking out over the stone fence. What was this man looking at? His eyes didn't seem to be looking at anything; he was just staring out into the distance pondering something. What was on his mind that was so important that they couldn't continue on their mission?

The man suddenly opened his mouth to speak, clenching his fists tighter. "I can't keep lying to you like this, Link."

Link's eyes widened, not being able to fathom how this man knew his name. This _had _to be his father. The man recognized his own son through the wolf's eyes. Link's heart started to beat at a rapid pace, wondering what this man was about to say to him. However, far beyond his surprise, the man moved away from the ledge and began to transform. His skin bubbled and his body mutated. The scene was horrifying, yet Link couldn't tear his eyes away, not until the very end. Midna appeared before him, slowly lifting her head. In all of her grace and glory, despite the terrible scenario, she smiled at him like she had done so long ago. Yet instead of standing on a hill in front of the sunset, the two of them now stood together on the bridge, the stars bestowing a glamorous light on the two. The wound in which Link inflicted was still clearly visible on her head.

"Those shadow beasts were supposed to kill you," she silently whispered, consumed with guilt. "I took the form of a soldier so you couldn't tell it was me hurting you, but you thankfully beat them without trouble at all. I thought… I thought I was about to watch you die," she winced, shutting her eyes.

Link watched her with caution. He was never sure whether she was lying or not, whether it was Zant speaking these words.

"Zant and I should have realized you were far too strong for something like that, especially in the form of a horrid beast. Since the plan failed, I then only used you so I could find the princess in this castle." She now opened her eyes again and they landed on Link. She looked as if she was about to fall to tears. "I have to get Zelda's Triforce! It's the only way Zant will set me free!" She cried, moving towards him. "And you're always in my way, but I can't hurt you! There's no possible way I could ever hurt my friend! I don't know what to do! You have to help me, Link! You can give me my body back!"

As Midna moved towards him, Link moved backwards, not sure what to do at all in this type of situation. She was scaring him more than sympathizing. He was by no means prepared to help her, anyway. He was just lead on to believe that the previous man was his father, although technically Midna hadn't claimed to be related to him. But that didn't change the fact that she lied and tried to kill him on top of that. It crushed his heart, although he was foolish to always believe everything Midna said. Link was always so gullible. Now Midna had him trapped; how could he be so sure she was telling the truth this time? It could have been Zant pulling these emotional tricks.

Link's backside hit the door. He was cornered on the bridge and couldn't even open the door behind him. Midna could do anything to him she pleased, unless Link decided to fight back. And of course he would. He was hurt and enraged. It seemed like all anyone wanted to do was hurt him. Everyone pretended to be his friend and take care of him and make up heartwarming tales, but when it all came down to it they just wanted to see him suffer.

As Midna reached out her hand to stroke the beast, Link only growled and bowed his head. Midna's eyes widened. "You dare defy me?" She murmured, her attitude changing again. The hero could see it in her eyes that she was truly gone again, and Zant had taken over once more. Link should have listened to her, but it was far too late for that. "You fool! You've only managed to lead yourself to your doom!" She howled, swinging her arm at the hero, but he ducked under her hand and quickly moved around her, racing to the middle of the bridge. Zelda was behind the door on the opposite side and he most definitely had to get to her before Midna.

As he raced down the bridge, Midna quickly followed whilst throwing out curses and tossing balls of flame at the hero. Link swiftly dodged, being careful not to lose his footing. He approached the door in no time, but was again trapped due to that dreadful door. He looked back at Midna. She was furious. A deep, orange flame started to engulf her hand and up her arm. She was preparing a devastating attack. Link watched in fear. The Twilight Princess let out a frightful scream as she shot the flames forward. Link crouched down and forced a jump as high and as tall as he could. The flame just barely singed the end of his tail. The goddess was most certainly on his side tonight.

He landed on all fours, slightly wincing at the pain in his foot even with the bandage. Now the door behind him was open. He instantly turned and dashed inside. The tower circled both upwards and downwards with a spiraling staircase. Midna flew past him, flying up the steps. Link eagerly followed behind her. They were practically racing for Zelda's bedroom, both of them only hoping to reach her first. Link let out a sudden mighty howl. That was sure to wake Zelda up, to alert her that danger was coming.

Link managed to reach the door first, but Midna took a hold of his cuff and threw him down the staircase. He regained his footing again as hastily as he could and raced back up the steps, but as soon as he did so the door came to a close once more. Link growled and slammed against the door, scratching on it and howling and barking. It obviously wasn't working, but he had to get to Zelda somehow! He had to slam down the door. That was it. That would work.

Link practically flew down the steps like wind, stopped in an instant near one of the lower windows, the goddess' moonlight shining down on his fur coat, and he sped as fast as he could again for the door. The pain in his foot seemed to disappear as he was now set on saving the princess. He dashed and dashed and dashed for the door, the wood of the bedroom's entrance quickly approaching, and he slammed into that dreadful door, knocking it down entirely.

Link's breaths were heavy as he looked across the room, prepared to sink his teeth into Midna. However, the room was empty. Neither Midna nor Zelda were to be seen. At first he was far beyond anxious, but then he realized that no one had been in there in the first place. The bed was neat as if no one had slept on it. There was dust everywhere. No one had been in that room for a long while, so it seemed. Midna must have already realized this and fled. She was probably on her way to search the rest of the castle.

Link walked up to the window and looked outside of it. He could clearly see Castle Town from where he was, and the sun was just emerging from the edge of the earth. Midna was nowhere in sight outside. Link lightly growled. So if Midna had left and no one was in the room to begin with, where was Zelda?

Disappointed, he exited the room, descending along the spiral staircase. All of that travel was just a waste of time. This fortress was far too large to search. He wished that the princess would just appear in front of him, but nothing was ever that easy. Instead, he trudged down the staircase, leaping out of the lowest elevated windows.

Link suddenly stopped, refusing to move another inch. To his surprise sitting in the middle of her garden and elegantly sipping her tea, there sat the Princess Zelda, unharmed and unworried. Her dainty gaze lifted from her teacup and she looked to the hero, her expression dull and unreadable. No words needed to be said at that moment. Zelda knew of the entire unfortunate conflict. The gods had informed her, naturally. So instead of rising in panic or taking any sort of action, she sat there at the garden table and quietly sipped at her tea. However, Zelda seemed to know something that Link didn't. It was almost as if she had been waiting to tell him.

* * *

**So I had something completely different planned for this chapter, but my fingers manipulated it into something else, those dastardly fiends! Anyhow, I hadn't originally planned for Midna to be a soldier guy, but it happened. And I'd like to change it but I already finished writing the chapter and I'm done. I'm done. I ended up confusing myself with everything in the chapter and I don't even know how I did that, haha. I'm such a ditz. I don't even know how I'm going to work the next chapter. Asfghdk wing it.**


	13. The Triforce of Wisdom

Chapter 13: The Triforce of Wisdom

"What do you think this cat has seen compared to all of you?" Telma asked, her eyebrows risen in surprise. The animal's fur was covered in soot and dust. She quickly took a towel from one of the cabinets and started to wipe off all of the debris. "Sure went through a lot of trouble."

Colin looked away from his resting father and looked back at the gerudo woman. "Maybe she was trapped and managed to get out."

Ilia sat quietly in the corner. She was paying no mind to the rest of the crowd. She was too engaged in what she had pulled from the cat's mouth; a photo. Not just any photo, but the photograph of Link's mother. This cat most definitely had some sort of special relations with Link if it stayed behind to find something so meaningful to him. Did this animal even know what it had done? This would bring sanity back to the troubled hero and everyone could go back to normal. She clutched tightly onto the picture and smiled to herself. "He'll be so happy to see this," she silently whispered to herself.

But where was he? Where did he go? In Link's height of frustration and confusion, he stumbled off into the streets of Hyrule. He could have been anywhere. Maybe he traversed as far as Hyrule field or beyond that. Link was well aware of the vast land and could have gone anywhere. Maybe he had even returned to Kakariko village to search for his precious picture. Ilia carefully placed the fragile photograph into her pouch, not wanting anything else to happen to it. When the hero turned up again, she would be sure to give it to him. Or was it best to find him on her own? She knew the land pretty well and could probably make her way to Kakariko by herself. Link needed her; he was in a state of shock. It was her duty as his friend to aid him.

Ilia stood up from her seat and made her way to the door, only to be stopped by her papa. "Where are you going?" He asked with the utmost concern. Everyone behind him fell silent.

Ilia danced her fingers on the doorknob, ready to swing it open at any moment. "I'm going to look for Link," she admitted, now gripping firmly onto the knob.

Mayor Bo's eyebrows lifted into worry. He stared at his daughter for the longest while, thinking of everything that he had previously said to his daughter before the incident. So many times she had run off on him when he begged her to stay, and just a while ago he gave her permission as an adult to do as she pleased. It would be unfair to her to tell the girl that he changed his mind. Besides, Ilia was more than capable of taking care of herself. Bo had witnessed with his own eyes in Kakariko. The mayor let out a deep sigh, giving in to her wishes. "Please be careful."

Ilia's eyes lit up with joy. "I will, papa! I promise!" Not even a hug or a goodbye was given, for she was already racing out the doorway and onto the streets. The morning sun glimmered onto the roads and the people passing by. Everyone was cheery, but not near as cheery as Ilia who was about to go on her very own adventure.

Her feet dashed through the crowds as she raced to the gate where the horses grazed. She could clearly see them out in the distance. How beautiful they looked with the sun shining down on them! But … what was Epona doing there? She slowed to a stop next to the elegant horse and looked up at her in utter confusion. Not only was Epona still there, but all of Link's weapons were locked onto her sides. Ilia could have sworn they were still attached to Link when they entered the castle. What was going on? Was Link still inside Castle town? She looked back at the large gates in wonder. She never knew what that boy would do next and could hardly ever read his thoughts. There were so many things she didn't know about Link, especially his reasoning.

* * *

Zelda stood from her seat and crossed over to Link, who was idiotically staring at her. He wasn't sure how he should feel. He thought she'd be hiding somewhere, but instead she was wallowing about in the plain open. She could have been captured or murdered and the whole world would have been at stake simply because she was outside enjoying a cup of tea in the early morning. How irresponsible. However, he wasn't going to tell the princess how to protect herself. She was safe. That was all that mattered, after all.

The princess kneeled down and at took a look at Link's paw. "The very first encounter I had with you was when you were a beast, and now here you are again. It's a shame how often we meet this way. If only I could wield the power to turn you back." She looked up from his paw and into the beast's eyes. "Grave troubles have been spreading across the land of Hyrule. It's obvious that you're already well aware; you came to retrieve the Triforce."

Link watched her stand as she made her way back to her garden table, sitting firmly back in her seat and taking another sip of tea. "I should have known this day would come, although the legends didn't warn us this time. Do you know how to obtain a piece of Triforce?" She asked, although her thoughts seemed more engaged in her tea.

Link walked over to the table and sat next to her. He waited patiently for Zelda to answer, but she said nothing. Link's piece of Triforce was embellished on his hand, as were Ganondorf and Zelda's. However, once he had defeated the gruesome force, Ganon's Triforce had disappeared to the said Gerudo Desert in an underground prison. Arbiter's Grounds, perhaps. The Triforce had only fled from Ganondorf after his death.

Link's eyes slightly widened, recalling Lanayru's warning; "_To procure the final Triforce, Zelda will have to impart the piece into your ownership … But to your dislike, a grave resolution will be enforced. I apologize in advance …_" Did that mean if he wanted Zelda's piece, she would have to… die?

Link looked up at her sorrowfully, now understanding the complexity of the devastating situation. He never once dreamed or imagined of coming to such a terrible fate such as this. What a horrible thing destiny was. Now the only family member in which he had ever come into contact with was forced to die because of _him_. Because he had to get that piece of Triforce. How was he to live with himself? He would forever be consumed with regret that he had done such a thing. However, it was his duty as the Hero of Hyrule to protect these sacred lands. He only wished that it wasn't at such a dreadful cost.

Zelda nodded. "What a shame that my fate arrives before my time, but it's the only way to defeat Zant. I understand what you must do," she coaxed, following with a light smile. "I want to do whatever it will take to protect Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. Will you promise me one thing, however, after my death? You're the only one I trust."

Link's ears lifted up, paying close attention.

"After my death I want you to take my place as the ruler of Hyrule. My mother is far too old and none of my servants understand the tasks and responsibilities. You're the only one who can rule Hyrule, despite your lack of knowledge on the inside kingdom. My servants will be more than happy to teach you everything they know. Just please take care of Hyrule after I am gone. This is the last thing I ask of you." Her smile lightly faded, though still marked on her sorrowful face. "It's the least you can do since you have to steal away my Triforce," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

Link would have smiled had he been human, but on the inside he wouldn't have felt the slightest bit enthusiastic. So much responsibility was overweighing him and it had only been a few days. He was forced to kill his cousin to take away her Triforce only to have to possibly kill Midna. Not to mention, this was all to save Hyrule _and_ the land of Twilight. Now he was entitled to rule over these vast lands in which Hylia had created. There was so much to handle. All that the hero had set out to do was find his parents, and now he was completely delayed. It was a terrible fate to be a wielder of the Triforce. There were so many responsibilities.

Nonetheless, Link nodded in agreement to the honorable plea. Zelda stood from her seat and walked out further into the garden. She held a short dagger with a golden handle. The hero mourned as he followed her, knowing exactly what she was going to do. Zelda then stopped and turned to face him, holding the weapon out straight in front of her. "I apologize that it has to end this way. Maybe once all of this is over with, we can visit each other in Hylia's heavens." She sweetly smiled at him, but Link could feel nothing but sorrow. His eyes uselessly watched Zelda rapidly bring the blade closer to her chest. How horrifying.

The princess suddenly stopped right before piercing into her flesh. She lowered the weapon and looked about her, sensing another presence. Link could feel it too; in fact, he could smell it. He all too well recognized it, for the scent was just recently in the air next to him. Midna was somewhere about in the shadows, waiting for Zelda to strike herself so that the Princess of Twilight could steal it away. However, Zelda was not as foolish as to kill herself with the enemy near. "Don't be a coward," Zelda hissed, turning her head from one direction to the other. "Reveal yourself."

A cold wind blew by, causing the fur on Link's back to stand. He lowly growled and clawed on the dirt. Despite the joyous rays of light that the sun bestowed, the trio was far from merry. Link thought he saw a shadow pass by, so he barked at it. Whatever that thing was, it was traveling from shadow to shadow, heading straight for the princess. If Zelda wasn't about to kill herself then Midna surely was. Link growled. He watched the shadow engulf itself in Zelda's. Just as Midna lifted to attack at the princess from behind, Link leapt at the witch and threw his fangs right across her arm. She let out a sudden shriek and stumbled away from the princess, trying her best to throw Link off.

Zelda moved away and watched in fear, wondering what could possibly be done. She pulled her light bow and arrow from her pouch that she held with her at all times and aimed it at the enemy. However, Link was in the way. "Hero, move!" She demanded, closing one eye and carefully aiming at Midna. Link's ears lifted and he immediately followed her commands, releasing the arm and landing firmly on his feet at a distance. Zelda then released the tightly pulled arrow straight towards the foe, striking Midna right into her chest. The creature let out another sudden scream and fell onto her backside. Before she could get up to attack again, Zelda and Link were already dashing for the interior of the castle.

"Link," Zelda panted as she raced to keep up with the speedy wolf, "I have to give you my Triforce. We absolutely cannot let it fall into the hands of evil." She suddenly became distracted and looked off to the side, noticing a group of soldiers lounging in the distance. She commanded that they fend off the witch while the two of them run away, and the warriors obediently left their post to protect the princess. Whatever became of them, no one ever knew.

Meanwhile, Link and Zelda raced for the throne room where they would safely be able to exchange the Triforce of Wisdom.

* * *

Ilia had spent hours upon hours searching for the hero amongst the grounds of Castle Town. Not having any other leads, she blindly made her return to Kakariko Village. The girl assumed that by leaving his things behind, Link tricked everyone into thinking he had stayed in Castle Town when he had gone back to Kakariko to search for his beloved picture. But it was only an assumption. He could have truly been somewhere in the bowels of Castle Town, but she couldn't be sure. She had to find him no matter what to calm him down, or else he would go extremely berserk.

It wasn't long before Epona's hooves shred against the warm dust of Kakariko Village. It was stained with all sorts of fresh blood and ash, making a disgusting combination of smell. Ilia covered her nose and mouth as her eyes looked about the ruins. She dismounted the horse and left her at the front of the village, then proceeded into the depths of the town. Her eyes trailed from one broken building to the next, remembering what everything used to once be. It was such a beautiful village. It's a shame that it had to fall so easily.

By the time she reached the other side of the village, she was partially coughing and gasping for air. She dashed into the spring and washed away all of the soot and dust off of her, utterly nauseated by all of the terrors that she saw. Enemies were practically wiped away and chopped up to little pieces, most likely by Link's sword or a passer byer. Everything was such a hideous sight to look at. She didn't think she'd ever see so much destruction and chaos, although she had already witnessed the brutal deaths of her beloved friends. Ilia suddenly felt extremely sick to her stomach and couldn't help but throw up in the crystal waters of the spring. It was all just so much for her.

Ilia trudged back into the village, determined to find some sort of sign of Link. But before going deep into her search once more, she stopped by the crumbled safe house, staring at all that it had become. Sera, Haunch and Beth lie beneath that debris, and Fado was elsewhere in the village beyond her knowledge. They were such a lovely and merry group. She bowed her head in silent prayer and paid her respects to the fallen family and friends before turning back to her journey.

As she turned to walk again, her eyes landed on something familiar. Something horrific. Her legs bolted into an immediate run towards the nursing home. There it was. Link's brown and dirtied disguise cloak floating daintily among the gentle wind. She snatched it from the dirt and lifted it into her arms, squeezing it tightly and sobbing into the cloth. What could have ever happened to her beloved hero? Surely this couldn't have been his. Yet, it was. She was all too familiar with it and it still carried his scent. Her wet face lifted from the cloak and she looked deep into the village over at Epona, holding all of his items. How had the stallion come to gain those?

Maybe something horrible happened to Link. That's what all the blood was about. Link had _in fact _returned to the village in search of his picture, but there was the possibility that he didn't make it. While fighting off the hordes of monsters, he became weak and couldn't defend himself any longer, resulting in the fall of the great Hero of Hyrule. He equipped all of his things to Epona so that his loyal steed could send the message of Link's death to his people. However, he was kind enough to defend Epona as she made her escape for freedom. Yes, that's exactly what happened.

Ilia buried her face into Link's cloak again, saddened and distraught by the hero's violent fate. It wasn't fair that he had to die so quickly and so young. He had so much to live up for. Link was always running into trouble and today marked his final breath. If only Ilia could have been there for him, but unfortunately it was too late. He perished, frightened and alone in belief of abandonment. The girl accidentally let a small whimper fall into the cloak, although there was no point in being silent. She just didn't know what to do at that moment.

"I'm sorry, Link," Ilia cried, lifting her face again. Hot tears streamed down her face as she pulled the picture of his mother from her pouch. She placed it inside of the cloak and stared at it wistfully. The girl never even got to tell him how she felt, although it was entirely her fault for never having implied it. She clutched the cloak in her arms as she turned to make her way back to Epona and return to Castle Town. She had to prepare how to tell everyone the horrible news. So many lives had been lost, and already another beloved character had met his fate. It was a shame he had to leave on bad terms. "I love you, Link. I'm so sorry…"

A sudden cry fled Epona's lungs. Ilia immediately fell into a state of panic as she watched these strange enemies claw and grab at the stallion. They were the same beasts that attacked them before on the Great Bridge of Hylia and now these creatures had come to avenge their friends. She watched in horror as they attempted to climb atop the mighty horse who only kicked them back down. Epona let out another cry that snapped Ilia back into reality. "Hey, get away from her!" Ilia shouted as she dashed to the steed's rescue. But as she approached them, she came to the dreadful realization that she didn't have a single weapon on her. She slowed to a stop as they all turned in her direction. The monsters disregarded Epona's capture and turned their attention to the human, declaring their new prisoner. The group made strange noises as they raced for Ilia who dashed in the opposite direction.

However, she was far too slow. No matter how much effort she put into moving her aching muscles, the monsters were much faster than she ever could be. They quickly caught up to her and took a tight hold of her arms and legs. She screamed for help, but no such help would come to her; not even Epona who had fled out of the village. A strange black and blue swirling cloud started to form in the sky. Ilia's eyes widened as these odd squares began to engulf her body and the rest of the monsters, swallowing her into the frightening sea of black.

* * *

Link and Zelda safely arrived in the throne room and locked the doors behind themselves, making sure for absolute privacy. The princess then fled from the door and slowed to a stop and held tightly onto her dagger, knowing what had to be done. She couldn't waste any time making pointless speeches and apologies, so she raised the weapon overhead, staring at the tip of the blade profoundly, fearing the worst for herself but the best for her kingdom. Despite the bravery she portrayed, she was apprehensive. She shut her fearful eyes and took a deep breath. Without another word, she thrust the weapon into her chest and immediately collapsed supine to the ground.

Link's heart ached with utter grief as he watched the only family he had ever met fall to the floor. He walked to her side and stared at her, but to his surprise she was still breathing. The bloody gouge was disturbing to look at, so instead he directed his eyes to her agonized face. There was no safe place for his innocence to look, unfortunately.

Zelda tightly gripped the blade and pulled it from her chest and dropped it onto the ground next to her. Her weary gaze turned to look at Link, yet she smiled sincerely at him. Even in her dying breath she masked a face of beauty. "I accidently struck… slightly above my heart," she admitted; only it seemed almost on purpose. "I almost forgot to tell you… although by your tormented expression… it seems as if you already knew … I want you to rule my kingdom… because you're the last in my blood… who can legally rule … Link… I'm your cousin…" Her smile faded when she said those words and the light in her eyes started to dim. "I'm sorry that… I never told y…" Her last breath had already escaped before she could finish and her eyes dulled to grey. It was finally over.

There wasn't any time to sulk over the princess' death. Her piece of the Triforce gradually lifted from her body and into the air, taking a moment to flaunt all of its precious glory and beauty. The Trifoce of Wisdom then sank again where the holder of the Triforce of Courage stood and it melted into Link's fur, sending off a ray of light on his body. He glowed like gold for a moment before his normal color returned to him. To the aid of Zelda's Triforce, he was also returned to his original state as a human being. As thankful as he was for Zelda's bravery and assistance, he wished she could have died a kinder way.

There was a sudden rumble from behind the throne room's doors. Link turned to face the doors and took a fighting stance, knowing that Midna was about to erupt from behind the entrance at any moment. Yet what point was there in staying if he couldn't defend himself? All of his weapons were equipped to Epona who stood outside of the castle. He couldn't possibly dream to defend himself against the wicked enemy without his sword and shield. If Midna sought to commit any harmful act against him, she could easily do so.

His memory suddenly traced back to Zelda who had used the bow and arrow of light to defend herself from Midna earlier. The hero rushed to Zelda's side and pulled the weapon from her pouch. Just as the doors flung themselves open, he swiftly turned around and aimed the weapon at Midna standing at the center of the entrance. It appeared to be raining outside behind her, although Link had yet to hear the drops hitting the roof of the castle.

The Princess of Twilight remained unmoved as she glared at the weapon aimed for her in Link's hands. She dared not move a muscle, recalling the painful blow that had pierced her earlier. She had always been good friends with Zelda, but that princess definitely showed no mercy in shooting her at a time like this. It was almost heart breaking, and now Link was just as easily willing to shoot at Midna. There was nothing she could do to persuade or win him over. Everyone saw her as a wicked and evil force. The only thing she could do was hope that Link would save her, and that she wouldn't end up hurting him in the process.

Midna looked past him and took note that the princess was lifeless. The Triforce of Wisdom was already consumed by Link so there was no use in staying. She scowled up at the hero one last time and with a sudden turn towards the rain, her body became engulfed by the portal and warped herself back to the land of Twilight.

Link lowered his weapon. He expected some sort of fight, but she didn't even move a step his direction. Maybe he was already in the lead, having gained the second piece of Triforce. Maybe Midna already came to the realization that she had lost. Whatever the reason, Link was just thankful that she had already departed. It was never his intentions to harm his friend, but he knew he would have to do whatever it took to defend himself.

There was no point in keeping Zelda's bow and arrow. He generously returned it to her pouch out of courtesy. His gaze drifted from her satchel to her porcelain sleeping face. It wasn't fair that she had to go that way. She was still so young, not to mention that she was the princess and had so much to take care of. Had she ever lived her life? Zelda must have worked hard day in and day out to fulfill her tasks in the kingdom. It must have been difficult to not have experienced a proper and fun-filled childhood. Link removed his hat in honor of her hard work. At least she could rest easy now.

The hero's eyes suddenly lit up, remembering the fairy in the bottle given to him by Falbi. He rushed into his satchel and brought it in front of him. The precious fairy fluttered about inside the bottle. Link was just about finished unscrewing the top when he came to the rueful realization that it wouldn't revive her. This was a healing fairy and by no means would serve useful in a situation like this. He remained unmoved for a moment, knowing there was nothing he could to do save her. Link trembled as he re-screwed the top back on and placed it back into his bag, completely disappointed.

He couldn't stay there anymore. No matter what he wanted to do for the princess, it couldn't be done. Now holding both the Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Wisdom, the hero was prepared to make his journey into Gerudo desert for the remaining piece. However, his woeful gaze was locked onto the demised princess and he knew he couldn't leave her there as her resting place. Someone had to know of her death. As gently as he could do so, Link lifted her limp body off of the ground. He then turned to exit the throne room, caressing his deceased cousin with all the love and passion he could carry.

The unforgiving rain was cold on his face as he trudged down the stairs, making his way into a lower section of the castle. He only stared forward as he moved on. Link would have cried already had he not just been enveloped in fear by Midna's presence. There were no tears to cry, anyway. Everything was already done; Zelda was dead and he had collected the second piece of Triforce. He still had his duty as the Hero of Hyrule to fulfill. Heroes don't cry, anyhow.

He entered the interior of the castle once more and traveled inside until he arrived to see a small group of servants and soldiers gathered together in a room. All at once they suddenly turned to look at the drenched hero and princess. Their eyes immediately widened as they noticed the deep gouge in Zelda's chest, yet they asked no questions and spoke no words.

The hero approached them one slow step at a time, refusing to make eye contact with the distraught crowd in fear that he would find himself crying as well as they were. His heavy feet stopped in front of one of the soldiers. It was as if the soldier knew what Link wanted, for he held out his arms to take the princess. Link carefully handed Zelda off in the warrior's arms and took a step back, taking a long last look at his cousin. He knew very well that he owed the people of Hyrule a good explanation for their princess' death, but he didn't have the time. Not now.

Link turned on his heel towards the exit. It was about time he made his way to the Gerudo Desert to retrieve the final piece of the Triforce, the Triforce of Power. However, as he made his leave he heard a terrible and shocking scream; "My daughter!" The voice exclaimed. Link's spine shivered and he suddenly became consumed with guilt although it was all for the best. He fled the room before any questions could be asked.

How terrifying for a mother to scream over her daughter in such a way, especially since her daughter was so young. Link was almost thankful he didn't know where his parents were; if anything had happened to him, he wouldn't want them to be frightened like that. The Queen's scream was nightmarish. As much as Link desired to meet his parents, he now wished that he wouldn't come into contact with them until all of this ended. He wouldn't be able to bear hearing his parents cry over him in such a manner.

Link raced back into Castle Town as quickly as his feet could take him. Thankfully because of the rain, no one was on the streets to fan over the glorious hero or stop in his tracks. He had all the space he could be given to head straight back for Epona. Yet even on his determined journey to regain the last of the Triforce, he couldn't help but stop at the staircase entrance leading into Telma's bar. He wanted to apologize to Rusl, but he was far too scared to enter. Everyone would stare at him like he was a monster. _A monster_. He didn't want that. But maybe if he apologized everything would be alright…

The door suddenly opened and Link dashed behind one of the walls, but he barely peeked from around the corner. Colin stepped outside for some unknown reason. He looked profoundly stressed. It ached Link's heart to see him like that. He had to do say something to comfort the child, but it was Link's fault in the first place. He couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Instead, he slowly moved forward again, making his way for the exit.

* * *

**So I almost forgot about that bottle fairy. _But I didn't_. Although it didn't hold any sole purpose in this chapter, I only put it in to remind me to use it later on. MAN so I was looking at some of my old chapters and I didn't realize how many typos I had and words I left out. I always check twice to make sure about typos, yet I always leave some. DINKLEBERG**


	14. The Triforce of Power

Chapter 14: The Triforce of Power

Epona stood loyally and unmoved by the exit of Castle Town while bearing all of Link's items that he had mounted onto her back earlier. The stallion almost seemed surprised. Maybe at the fact that Link had become human again or perhaps that the sudden cold rain had startled her. Whatever the reason, Link brushed the horse's nose to comfort her and then mounted himself onto her back. It was about time he made his way to the Gerudo Desert to retrieve the final piece of the Triforce.

With a command of his voice and whip of the reins, Link moved Epona into a strong gallop into the field, heading directly for Lake Hylia. The Human Cannonball was the only way to get into the desert, considering Arbiter's Grounds was so far away. He hoped not to run into Emmaus and Natal again. Who knows how badly they'd drag him down on his adventure? Nonetheless, he'd have to try his best to ignore them if they appeared. He couldn't continue to let things pull him back or else Hyrule's existence would be at stake. Or would it? What was it that Zant even wanted?

Link shook his head, waking himself from his thoughts. There was no use in thinking of things like that. His number one task was to travel to Gerudo Desert to retrieve the Triforce of Power.

The rain was beginning to lighten up as they crossed over the fields. Thankfully, the enemies were scarce- probably hiding from the bad weather. Link and Epona easily shredded against the wet grass, the light of the sun peeking in from behind the clouds. The sky was almost like Twilight, except that the darkness was replaced by rain. It was beautiful, really. Link had always taken a liking to the Twilight Realm since he had first visited. In a way, he almost couldn't wait to go back. It was a shame that it was under such unfortunate circumstances. Maybe this time the mirror wouldn't break and he would easily be able to come and go from the worlds as he pleased.

It was now growing extremely dark with the sun setting and the moon rising when Link had arrived at Falbi and Fyer's Watertop Land of Fantastication. He traditionally slowed Epona down by a patch of grass and traveled further towards the colorful building. Everything was quiet much to his luck. No enemies or monsters were nearby, so he would be safe.

Link stood at the door of the building and took a hold of the doorknob. He had just recently came from this place and hoped of not returning to Lake Hylia for the longest time. It didn't occur to him that he would have to return in order to make his way to Gerudo Desert. He should have remembered this since his last journey when striving to defeat Ganondorf. He had forgotten many things in the past couple of months.

Link opened the door and entered the building and tightly shut the door behind him in case any monsters came nearby. He then moved forward, and at first instinct he grabbed hold of a sleeping cucco on the floor. He was going to step onto the porch and fly off of it into the lake, like he always had. Thankfully, Falbi was nowhere to be seen so he wouldn't have to pay rupees to fly. Link moved onto the porch and stared down at the deep blue lake. There wasn't much to see considering it was so dark, except for a glimpse of the moon at the edge of the waters. With a shake of the cucco to wake it up, he jumped off of the porch and slowly began to glide his way down into the lake.

It wasn't long before Link landed on the dock right next to the Human Cannonball ride. The tourist attraction was empty, except for Fyer who lied asleep next to the machine. However, the cucco's horrific cries seemed to easily wake him up, for the clown immediately came awake and rose to his feet. "Who's there?!" He alarmed, but fell into relief at the sight of Link's face. "Ah, it's you, fella! What makes you wanna come back so early? Couldn't get enough out of this ride?" Fyer asked with a wink, causing the hero to helplessly smile.

"Gerudo Desert, huh?" Fyer commented after the hero briefly explained his predicament. "It's a little late at night for that, don't you think?" It was obvious the hero wasn't going to wait until morning, for Fyer quickly gave up without a protest. He placed his hands on the lever of his music box. "Go on, get inside. You can take care of yourself. This'll be free considering you rescued us from that monster." He formed a gentle smile across his face as he started to turn the lever.

Link hastily moved inside the machine and closed the door. He could feel it turning and turning, the music growing louder and louder. All of a sudden, he was shot high into the air. It was almost horrific flying out in the dark, unable to see the bottom. It was like falling over a giant abyss. As he neared the floor of the desert he could barely see the dirt closing in on him. Link positioned himself so that he could roll on the sand and land properly. The hero's feet lightly touched the sand and dust went flying everywhere, and then he made his traditional roll forward and stood up once more. Easy as that.

The desert was a vast and unforgiving land. It stretched out for miles with no hope of finding any means of sustenance. It was dangerous to cross a desert without any supplies. Thankfully, Link had memorized these grounds forwards and backwards and could easily maneuver himself around the area. And if he was hungry, he could always chomp down on a cactus or slice through a flying peahat or a moldorm worm, despite their awful tastes. But that wouldn't be necessary; the hero would arrive at Arbiter's Grounds in a matter of a few hours. There wasn't nearly enough time to starve.

Link moved his feet in the direction of the prison, slowly but surely making his way. It would have been convenient to have Epona around, or even a bullbo to ride around on, but he wasn't lucky enough to find one. Unfortunately he would have to make his travels on foot.

As the hero moved, various thoughts crossed in and out of his mind. His heart ached for his cousin, but there was no helping that. He also longed to see his friends again, but the relationship between them would be odd for a while. He also desired to bring Midna back to herself, but even then he had no idea of how to do that. He wanted to find his parents, but now he was stalled by a million tasks and would most definitely be too tired and busy to search for them afterwards. All of these things bothered him tremendously. There were other things on his mind, like his new title as the Prince of Hyrule, but that didn't cheer him up at all. In fact, it worried him. He had never ruled over anything and feared that he would disappoint his people. The life of a hero was a hard one.

If there was anything that bothered him the absolute most, it was the fact that he now held two pieces of Triforce. Midna knew that very well and could have easily taken them away from him, but for some reason it never happened. She was either interrupted by one of the gods' burning light, or she just… simply chose not to. Midna could have taken Link's life at their last encounter and could have obtained both the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Courage. Yet. She chose not to. Whatever the reasoning was, it greatly bothered the hero, yet it also relieved him. He didn't understand her, but of course she, no- _Zant_, had _his _reasoning. Link had to stop blaming things on Midna. It wasn't her fault.

It wasn't long before Link arrived at the prison. He made his way through the staircase and entered the underground building, now in deep search of the Triforce of Power. It had been so long since he had been inside the temple that he almost forgot the map, but as time went on he became more and more comfortable in remembering the place. He crossed through entrances and exits as he slashed through monsters and enemies. Where could that Triforce be? No matter where he went, it couldn't be found. Maybe it wasn't there at all.

Hours upon hours had passed, and by the end of his search there was only one room left to check. It was the location of the fallen Twilit Fossil: Stallord. The thing wouldn't be alive, considering Link had defeated it so long ago. Or maybe it revived like Morpheel, the Twilit Aquatic. However, Darbus hadn't reawakened as the Twilit Igniter, so maybe Stallord was still dead after all. There were so many things Link didn't understand, although he should have felt wiser with the Triforce of Wisdom. He only hoped that retrieving the final Triforce piece would be easy.

As Link finally entered the last room, he could clearly see the glowing object in the center of the room. What a shame to think he had gone through all that work in finding the last piece when it was just right here. Link walked to the center of the room and took a hold of it, and just like it had earlier it absorbed itself into Link's skin and caused him to glow. Yet instead of it dying down, the light only grew brighter and brighter until it blinded him. He could feel the inside of his body burning with some sort of warm sensation. It stung him, yet it felt good. His body began to lift into the air, rays of light swarming around him and in and out of his body. The pieces of the Triforce were combining, entangling to form the strongest hero they could mend. In a matter of moments, Link would be the most powerful being in all of Hyrule, but would he be powerful enough to defeat Zant?

A sudden flash filled the room with light, and when the light died down, Link was gone.

His eyes suddenly opened and he found himself in an illusion of the Ordon Spring. The water remained golden and everywhere around the area was golden plant life. The sky wasn't its familiar blue, but white, as if the sky was blanketed in clouds. A foggy mist also lifted among the area. Link turned to look back, but the familiar gate that had always been at the entrance to the spring was gone. It was all just stone and vines. There was neither exit nor entrance. It was just a giant sanctuary filled with light.

Link turned back to face the fountains. He was suddenly caught off guard and there, standing high and proud over the holy waters, stood Ordonia in all of its godly glory. It let out a welcoming cry, and the soothing harmonic music began to rise in volume. Beams of light lifted from the warm and radiant god. Ordonia almost seemed to mask a smile at the hero, which was odd considering it was always difficult to read the emotion of a god. The deer-like creature partly opened its mouth and the smile became more visible. "Oh Brave Youth … How it gladdens me that you have finally obtained the final piece of Triforce …"

Link intently stared up at Ordonia, waiting for any advice or instructions.

"Travel now to the land of Twilight, and there… defeat Midna with the power of the Triforce. Link… it is important that you do not put your feelings ahead of you … Do not be tempted by her wicked ways … She is in Zant's possession. Follow your heroic instincts and defeat the evil witch … If you dare to fail, then all of Hyrule will fall into Zant's malicious hands …" The smile on Ordonia's face began to fall into something more earnest. The beast lifted its enormous, radiant hoof and tapped it against Link's forehead. The hero lightly gasped but loyally stood his ground. "You now hold the Triforce of Courage, the Triforce of Wisdom, and the Triforce of Power … They will greatly aid you on your final quest. Please do not fail Hyrule in our dire time of need … We are depending on you …"

And with that, everything began to glow brighter and brighter, blinding the hero in all of its pure glory. The music eventually died down and the warmth of the light was replaced by the coolness of the chamber in Arbiter's Grounds. Again Link was left alone. His eyes looked onto the ceiling as if he were staring at the sky. It was Midna he was going to have to defeat. He would be able to do it, wouldn't he? Despite that she was his friend, he could still defeat her, right? He didn't have a choice. If only there was an easier way out of this horrible predicament.

Link now made his rounds to the exit of Arbiter's Grounds. But before he bothered to enter the Mirror of Twilight, he wanted to test out the Triforce of Power. Link lifted his arm behind his back and grabbed onto the handle of the master sword. He then lifted it from its sheath and swung it before him. The enormous blade now felt lighter than it had before, almost as if he was holding nothing at all. Maybe the Triforce of Wisdom would kick in later. The new pieces of the Triforce would come in handy in battle. Link would be sure to use it to the fullest in honor of Princess Zelda's sacrifice.

It wasn't long before Link finally exited the prison. He now made his way to the Twilight Mirror, the entrance into the Twilight Realm. He'd have to be extremely careful, however. Midna could just be on the other side, waiting to attack. Or maybe she was standing behind the mirror. Anything was possible with the power Midna wielded, especially with Zant at her side. Or maybe Link should say that it was _Zant_ who had grown even more in strength because of Midna's awesome power. It was true- she was able to defeat Zant's godly form all by herself. Zant would be nothing without Midna. So how was he able to trap her like that?

Link slowly approached the mirror, the illumination of the staircase lighting up before his feet. The moonlight bestowed a breathtaking vibrant light upon the Mirror of Twilight, masking the gate in a field of glory. Link's breaths shuttered. This place originally was to be his and Midna's final departure. He recalled all of the utter grief he felt when she had disappeared through the shattering mirror, never to see her again. Yet she returned to the land of Hyrule because of Zant. In a way he was relieved; he loved seeing his dear old friend. It was unfortunate she had to return under such dire circumstances. And because of her return, the Sages had to restore the mirror so that Link could freely travel back and forth from the Twilight Realm and Hyrule to save the worlds. Would it again be destroyed after all of this was over? Would he be able to see Midna again? Maybe if Link was able to successfully save her, they could spend time together again. They could go off on adventures like old times sake. The hero passionately smiled to himself. After such a stressful journey, he would love more than anything just to spend time with her again.

With all of these emotional feelings, it would be more than difficult to defeat her. Just the utter terrifying image of Link having to thrust his sword into Midna's stomach and stare at her anguished face agonized the hero. He had never in his life imagined he'd have to hurt his beloved friend. It was his duty as the Hero of Hyrule to protect the sacred lands. Unfortunately, he had to do whatever it took to save the grounds, even if it meant destroying his friend.

It was time to stop pondering over such dreadful things. Link moved his heavy feet up the stairs, well knowing of this unbearable fate. With each dreadful step, his feet became heavier and heavier and his pace became slower and slower. He could feel his palms sweating as he neared the mirror. What horror has fate given him? His eyes remained directed on the ground. He didn't want to look up at the mirror where destiny was sealed. Link finally stepped onto the highest elevated platform that would guide him into the portal. He watched his feet disappear into bits of Twilight, followed by his ankles and his knees and so forth. Eventually, his entire body was consumed by the Twilight. He was now warping to the Twilight Realm.

* * *

Ilia's eyes suddenly flashed open. Her piercing gasps interrupted the silence of the chamber. Her fearful gaze darted from one corner to the other. She had no concept of time or how she even came to be of where she was now. Her distraught mind couldn't even process where she had been only a moment before. All she knew now was that she was in a strange room. Her back lied against a wall and directly across from her were bars, just like a prison. However, as her eyes came to examine the bars she realized they weren't bars at all. They were floating little squares; the same one that had eaten her earlier.

Clutching on tightly to Link's cloak, Ilia used the wall for support to stand herself up. Thankfully, she was free from any injuries. She cautiously moved towards the barrier and reached her hand out to touch it. "Ouch," she gasped. The bars had burnt the tip of her fingers much to her surprise. They hadn't burned her earlier. Disregarding the dangerous squares, Ilia gazed out of her cell, scanning from the left of the outside room to the right. Along the left was nothing but a long and narrow hallway, but she couldn't see the end of it no matter where she moved. The right of her vision traced an odd-shaped door about a couple feet away from her cell. Maybe she could get over there somehow and escape.

Ilia turned back to her cell and looked about the room. She was trapped in an empty room with nothing but herself. Her eyes narrowed in concentration and frustration. She then turned back to look outside the cell. There was nothing out there either; only the long wall and the door.

Ilia fingered her side and slid her hand onto her satchel. Thankfully the monsters hadn't taken it. She then began to pocket the bag, searching for something useful. Her hand managed to retrieve a slingshot. How would that be of any use to her? She threw it on the ground in fury. The girl then fell to her knees turning towards the slingshot and began to dig deeper into her pouch. She didn't really have anything useful. All she managed to find was a few empty bottles, Emmaus' tektite food and … and a boomerang! She could use that to blow the threatening squares away!

Ilia shot to her feet and determinedly faced the squares. She gripped tightly onto the boomerang with all her might, rearing her arm behind her. She then forcefully slugged it forward, the spinning boomerang speeding forward at a rapid pace. It darted through the squares as if those things were ghosts and the item returned right back into the cell. The object slid on the ground and skid to a stop against the opposite wall of the cell's bars. Ilia hung her head in disappointment. She was positive her plan would have worked, but it unfortunately failed. It had done so well against the flames in Kakariko. Why couldn't it defeat these burning squares?

Ilia sank to the floor again and reached out to grab the slingshot. She couldn't see how this was useful at all. Ilia shut her eyes and brought it close to her face, lightly rubbing the toy on her cheek. This was the first weapon that Link given to her in combat. He wanted her to practice with it so that she could defend herself. It worked quite a few times in battle, but it wasn't much considering it only dazed her enemies. Despite its lack of good use, it still meant a lot to her. Link had given it to her, after all.

She then looked at the boomerang, another one of Link's weapons. It was definitely useful when it came to getting rid of smoke and fire and things of the like, but that was all it was good for. When Ilia came to think about it, a lot of Link's weapons were useless. But when Link used them, they offered a great advantage for the hero. Maybe they weren't useless at all; maybe it was the wielder who able to easily master the weapon. It was no wonder they always worked so well in Link's hands. He knew how to use them. He had practiced and practiced and gotten phenomenal at using them. He was most certainly a great hero.

Ilia's eyes began to lightly swell up with tears. She fought hard to hold them back but utterly failed as one streamed down her cheek. How she wished Link was there to get her out of such an awful predicament. He'd easily be able to break her out of a prison like that. He was the hero. He could do anything. But he was nowhere to be found. Alas, he had fallen long ago. If only Ilia said something to him before he left. She could have stopped him from running out of the door. She could have said something to calm him down and could've prevented this all from happening. But it was too late. He was dead. It was all her fault.

The cloak that was sitting upon Ilia's lap was lifted to her face to hide her tears. Although no one could see her crying, she couldn't bear to reveal her reddened eyes. Hylia must have been so disappointed. That was the Hero of Hyrule, and Ilia only let him slip from her grasp. It was because of her that Ilia was trapped in the prison, that those monsters were still running about. Link could have stopped them if Ilia had only done something right.

It was selfish to think about things like that. She should have been upset over his death, not about how he could have saved everyone. Who knew what sort of excruciating pain he had experienced before his death? It wasn't fair for such a strong and noble hero. All he wanted to do was help people. All he wanted to do was to make people happy, and maybe that was a reflection of himself. Maybe _he_ wanted to be happy. He was so overwhelmingly overjoyed once discovering who his parents were and fell into such a state of depression after hearing they weren't real. Maybe all he wanted was to be loved by a family, and that's why he saved families so that they could live in happiness. And that's why he lost all sanity when he lost the photograph of his mother. That was the one thing that brought utter joy into his life. And it was gone.

Ilia uncontrollably bawled into the cloak, now silently wincing as she dug her nails into the cloth. It wasn't fair that such a hero had to experience such a devastating life. Oh how Ilia desired to change everything that had ever happened. She should have worked harder to not have let him leave Telma's bar. No, further than that. She should have never let him leave Ordon Village. He never would have went through so much pain. But then… they would've had to suffer through the burning of their beloved village.

Ilia finally lifted her face, her tears rolling to a stop. She was done crying. It wasn't going to solve anything, but there was nothing else to do either. She pulled Link's warm cloak over her body and cuddled herself into it as if it were Link's arms surrounding her. She desperately wanted to feel Link's warm embrace again, his strong arms caressing her in a barrier of protection and compassion. She lightly blushed at the thought, but it was idiotic to think like that. She would never seem him again.

Or maybe she would. What if Link was trapped in the prison with her? Maybe in fact he hadn't died and was most likely somewhere inside one of the cells as well. Ilia immediately rose to her feet and turned to face the bars again. "Link!" She cried out in desperation. Her voice echoed throughout the elongated hall. She waited for her echoes to die out before she called for his name again. This time she cupped her fragile hands over her mouth. "Link! Can you hear me?!" And again her voice echoed even louder, but a reply was never given.

Maybe the hero was unconscious in one of the cells. Or maybe he was being held in a different prison far off. Or maybe he was being forced to fight to the death against numerous beasts for entertainment. Ilia took a deep breath and shook her head. She had to stop thinking. No matter what conclusions she came to they were always dire. She stressed herself out more than she needed to be.

Ilia backed up to the wall and slid down it. Her weary eyes locked onto the bars. There was nothing she could do but sit around and wait for a miracle to happen. If she were lucky, maybe someone would save her. Or maybe she would die before anything devastating happened. No, she couldn't think like that. If Link was still out there somewhere suffering, then she'd have to be there to help him. Link would do the same for her, after all. Maybe he was still somewhere out in the world searching for her, coming to her rescue.

And the only thing Ilia was doing was sitting around sobbing.

All of a sudden, she heard the door open. Ilia quickly swiped Link's items from the floor and she stuffed them back into her bag. She then pretended to be asleep as she was before. Footsteps were heard as they echoed through the deep tunnel. They stopped in front of Ilia's cell. Ilia's heart raced in anxiety. Strange little animal noises lifted from the creature's mouth. It was most likely one of the things that abducted her earlier. The sound of the falling squares came to a stop and the footsteps continued again moving into Ilia's cage. The girl shivered as it came near but she refused to open her eyes. She was poked by the monster's cold, dead hand. It absolutely frightened her, but she couldn't do anything about it.

Just then, the thing grabbed her under her arm. Ilia's eyes immediately shot open and she tore away from the monster's grip. She then kicked it right under its chin and the thing fell unconscious onto its back. This was it. This was Ilia's chance to escape. She rapidly searched the enemy for keys or something rather, but nothing of the sort was on its body. It didn't matter. Ilia stood again and raced for the door. She beat on it and pushed and pulled but it wouldn't open. Her frantic eyes darted back to the end of the long and narrow hallway. She raced to the end in search of another door. The hallway just seemed to keep going and going. What if there was nothing down there?

And she was right. She skid to a stop at the end to find it nothing to be but a long and narrow hallway. Ilia's heart was racing faster. There had to be an exit somewhere! She swiftly turned back around and immediately bumped into a hard figure. Ilia instantly scooted back against the wall. It was… a tall woman. A tall woman with strange white and black markings and orange flaming hair. Ilia couldn't tell if this was a friend or foe. At first glance the stranger didn't seem like the friendly type, but she immediately changed character in the blink of an eye. "I know you," the creature said. Ilia remained speechless. She was trapped in a cell for who knew how long and wasn't in the mood for friendly conversation. However, the stranger held out her hand and warmly smiled at the human girl. "Will you please come with me?"

* * *

**School ended about a week ago, and you'd _think_ I'd have more time to work on this, but I don't. I've been caught up in driving school. I'm almost done with it, thankfully. Hopefully, I'll do well. Then in about six months I get my actual license. This is so exciting! But it's a lot of consumed time. I'll also have to get a job this summer. Growing up takes up so much time. I have a feeling that once I start doing all of this stuff, I won't write anymore. Maybe because of time consumption or lack of motivation. I'm almost kind of scared. I love writing, but I'll have so much fun hanging out with friends and stuff that I won't care to go on the internet anymore. Summer is always bittersweet for me.**

**BUT ENOUGH WITH ALL OF THAT.**

**I've been working on this awesome new Zelda fanfic. However, I don't think I'm going to post any of the chapters until I finish it. I want everything to make sense and not be so jumbled. I've already completed two chapters, and pieces of other chapters. I've never written a story that way before, working on only pieces. I'm hoping that it will help me organize my thoughts. I liked the ideas, so I had to type them up as soon as possible before I forgot about them. Ooohh, I can't wait to publish that story!**

**Asfghk sorry for writing so much. I just had so much to say. I won't do that again haha. Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to produce.**


	15. Cruel Fate

Chapter 15: Cruel Fate

The clouds moved slowly by as Link entered the Twilight Realm. He stepped forward into the vast land. The violet haze that stretched across the sky began to part, revealing the vibrancy of pure white beneath it. It was as if almost the entire land of Twilight was engulfed by clouds, every now and then offering the beauty of the light underneath it. That was simply the land of the Twilight. It was mysterious and beautiful. However, it would be devastating to fall off of one of the pieces of lands. The abyss of Twilight stretched out for eternity. Even if someone were to luckily fall onto a chunk of land below, they'd most likely die from impact. As glorious as the world was, it was also a very dangerous place.

Finding Midna wouldn't be so difficult, would it? Link cautiously looked about the familiar realm. There were three structures to enter, but it was the most reasonable to guess that Midna would be hidden in the center where her throne room lied. She could have been waiting for him or she could have already fled. It would have been wise for Midna to give up now. After all, Link had all pieces of the Triforce. He'd be able to defeat her, right?

The dwellers of the Twilight watched in awe as the chosen hero crossed their path. They either whispered or cooed to each other in admiration of the strange human. They had only seen him one other time before, and that was when he saved them against Zant. Link had now returned a second time to bring Zant's reign to an end once more, and hopefully it would end for good.

Link felt completely distraught as he passed the Twili. They all looked greatly up to the hero, for he had saved them. Of course they appreciated his noble deeds. It was unfortunate that they didn't know what was to come. The hero, which they had always highly respected, was about to destroy their leader. They didn't know of the terrors they were to face. Link only hoped that this wouldn't cause a disturbance between the world of Light and the world of Twilight. This battle between the Prince of Hyrule and the Princess of Twilight could most likely erupt in a war between the two worlds. Whatever was to come of this fight hopefully wouldn't end in poverty.

Link directed his gaze at the temple, not wanting to look at the creatures' admiring gazes. It only hurt to look.

He approached the door and it automatically opened for the hero. Link drew his glowing sword and entered the large structure, and the door shut behind him. There was no turning back, now. Link had to destroy Midna- _Zant._ Maybe there was some way to bring him out. Maybe Link didn't have to fight Midna. Maybe… maybe he could somehow save her. Destroying his dear friend couldn't have been the only option.

As Link neared the throne room, he could feel his heart pounding with grief. The final battle was approaching so quickly. It almost wasn't fair. What a terrible fate Midna had been lead to. Of course, it was just as terrible for Link. He never asked for any of this. All Link wanted to do was search for his parents. That was all, and now he was forced to fall into this unbearable fate. It was so difficult being a chosen hero, but he had to accept his destiny. Despite the troubles that he faced, his parents would have been proud. They would have been there to comfort him.

The throne room's door was now in front of him. Link placed his hand on it and took a deep breath. No turning back. He had to be confident in Hylia's intuition despite that he didn't know what was to come. But the trustworthy goddess knew best. He wasn't about to doubt or question her, anyway. As the door to the throne room open, Link felt his heart pound at a rapid pace.

* * *

Ilia gasped as she stepped outside into the 'Twilight Realm.' She was completely astounded by its foreign sky, engulfed in a sea of gaseous clouds. It was much different than her blue Hylian sky. The intrigued girl looked over the edge, completely taken aback by the depth of this parallel world. The sky stretched below them for miles, but not only that; it was vast all around them. She had never seen such a place like this. "And you rule the Twilight?" Ilia asked, amazed by the wondrous world.

"I do," Midna replied. She stood behind Ilia as the girl basked in the world's glory.

Ilia looked back at Midna, her eyes enlightened with curiosity and astonishment. "That makes you a princess, doesn't it?!"

Midna nodded and expressed a small smile. "Just like Zelda, the princess of your world. She just so happens to be a very special friend of mine." Her eyes wandered to Ilia and studied the girl. "Maybe if we ever return to the light world, we can visit her together."

"I would love to!" Ilia gasped, cupping her face in her hands. "And then I can introduce you to all of my friends. You'd love to meet them. They're a lot of fun…" Ilia's voice began to trail off, remembering the unfortunate events that had occurred not too long ago. Only a handful of her friends were left, and the most important friend she wanted Midna to meet was Link, who was most likely dead at this point. The girl twiddled with her fingers, thinking of what to say next to change the sorrowful subject. "Can I ask you something?"

"Feel free to ask me anything."

Ilia was sort of hesitant about her inquiry, not wanting to portray any signs or suspicion or idiocy. However, there were all sorts of wonders growing on her and she was dying to know who this Midna character actually was. "You say you know me from somewhere," Ilia began as she moved at a distance from the princess. "I've never seen you before in my entire life. And before I arrived in this strange floating world, I was captured by these strange beasts and lifted into a weird portal. Did you summon me here? Are you protecting me from something? Are you my fairy?"

Midna let out a bursting chuckle, throwing her head back and waving her hand forward. "Don't be silly, girl. I'm definitely not a fairy, and I'm most certainly not protecting you from anything."

"Then how do you know me?"

The princess' attitude seemed to change, and her tone became more serious, recalling a few bittersweet memories shared between her and Link. However, her memories were replaced with the only visions held by Zant. His wicked plots entangled themselves into Midna's mind, throwing all of her beloved memories away into a burning vortex. Her once friendly grin now transformed into a discomforting and devious frown. The once benevolent Princess of Twilight seemed to hold a drastic change in personality, all of a sudden turning dark with malicious and envious consumption. Zant was practically taking over. "Link," was her simple answer to Ilia's question. It was the only logical answer to be given.

Ilia's eyes widened in joyous astonishment, innocently blind to see the hatred in Midna's eyes. The girl was completely ecstatic to hear Link's name, knowing that they at least had him in common, but she had no idea what the princess meant by 'Link'. And for the time being, she didn't care. She only worried about Link's well-being. "Do you know if he's still alive?" Ilia begged, suddenly grabbing onto Midna's clothes. "Please, tell me! He wore the cloak I'm currently wearing now before he left and I found it lying in the dirt without its owner. If you're powerful enough to do all of these things, can you please find him for me?!" Ilia almost found herself rude, but she was too eager to care. She desperately wanted to know where her dear Link was or if he was still alive.

Midna seemed to lightly smirk, although it was almost invisible. She coldly stared down at the curious girl. "Now, why would I want to search for him when he'll be stepping into this realm at any minute?"

Ilia's smile creased so wide across her face that her cheeks began to ache with pain. She was overwhelmed with profound joy that Link was still alive and coming for them. "He's okay?" The girl chuckled. "How do you know? We have to go and greet him."

Midna's hand slowly elevated from her side. She took a tight hold of Ilia's wrist and yanked the girl off of her own clothes, not wanting to be touched any longer. Her scowl dug deep into her face, disgusted by this human. "We will. You'll stand right by my side. I don't want you wandering away from me, so stay close." The princess suddenly turned and began to drag Ilia back inside, tugging on the girl's arm.

Ilia could obviously sense something was wrong, and she began to arise in fear. She instinctively started to tug back on her arm in a desperate attempt to free herself. "What relations do you have with Link? You're going to do something bad to him, aren't you?!" Ilia cried as she beat her free fist on Midna's arms.

"What is of the past between Link and I has nothing you should be concerned with. You should worry about your own life. I'll sling you off of this ledge if you continue to beat at me!" Midna growled, squeezing tighter on the girl's wrist, but it did nothing to stop the rebellious child. "I've seen you two before and how close you are. You're practically like lovers, or at least I would assume. You see, I'm weak compared to that heroic fool. I can't bear to stand against him alone, which is why I need some sort of shield. I'll be honest and tell you that I hadn't realized your significance until my minions captured you. They had been sent to kill the hero quite a few times, but I suppose they caught on to an idea and took you away. I'll have to reward them later."

Ilia's heart began to ache with pain, realizing she was the fine line between Link's victory and Link's fate. So this is what Link set out to do the entire time; to defeat this wicked monster. That's why Link didn't want Ilia to follow, because he didn't want her to get hurt. That must have been it! If the hero wanted to hurt Midna, he wouldn't be able to do it with Ilia in the way. This devious princess would have the greater advantage and could easily take Link down that way. The girl let out a sudden cry, practically ripping her arm away. She was determined to free herself but was far too weak to break away. This strange woman was much stronger than she looked. "Why do you want to hurt Link so badly? What did he do to you?" Ilia whined, although completely enraged.

They stepped into the throne room and Midna finally let go of Ilia's hand, giving the girl free will about the room. The crazed princess turned to Ilia, and it was obvious that this wasn't the same friendly Twilight Princess from earlier. Ilia recognized a horrific change in the princess' expression; her lips, her eyes. It was as if she had developed into a completely new character, yet she didn't change. Ilia was unutterably terrified of this woman.

"He foiled my plans a long time ago…" Midna spoke, her voice a little off. The fiend tightly clenched her fist to her face, a light flame appearing around it. "I believed it to be my destiny to control both the World of Light and the World of Twilight. I was going to rule these worlds. I had defeated the Princess of Twilight easily, and all I had left to do was consume the Light Realm into a sea of Twilight. I was almost successful until a particular little boy began to thwart my plans. He slayed a countless numbers of my beautiful beasts, throwing me back on my glorious destiny. I thought that maybe I could defeat him, but I was wrong … I even summoned a god to defeat that hero called Link, but Ganondorf was easily destroyed.

My sole desire is to bring both worlds into an endless Twilight reign and to control those worlds just like a god. Everyone will worship me; bow down. We can all live in peace under my rule. Twilight and Light will emerge into one. It's such a prodigious idea, and I know you'll come to love it too. You've already admitted to enjoying the Twilight Realm. My only problem with proceeding with my project is that Link keeps getting in the way!" Midna suddenly pounded her fists through the air as if she was beating at something or someone. "If I can rid these worlds of that pesky little fool, then I can easily follow through with my plot! And now that I have you, you can help me destroy him. I don't only want to demolish that scum from these worlds, but I want him to suffer. I want him to suffer just like he did to me for months and months and months!

… This isn't even my body," Zant cackled within Midna's body, wriggling her fingers in front of her face. "This is just a substitute. I enjoy watching the bewilderment and regret on that hero's face. It only makes things easier. Using this body as a shield for my own benefit was a magnificent idea. However… lately he's been all too courageous. It was merely yesterday when he landed this blow to my head." Midna's finger pointed directly to a cut lying on top of a bruise on the side of her skull. It was still healing. "Link would never normally do this to his beloved and long-term friend, but he's been catching on. I won't be able to use this body as a shield much longer, for he won't hesitate in destroying this body to save all of Hyrule. That's why I need you. Because you're good; you're not plotting anything as far as I know, so you're the perfect shield. I should have come to realize this earlier." Midna held her arms out in a welcoming embrace, half hoping that Ilia would run into her arms. "Come here, child. We can destroy that fool of a hero together."

"You're a monster!" Ilia cried, immediately moving away from the crazed woman. "If you're his friend, then there's no way he would have hurt you. You got what you deserve after trying to kill him so many times and trying to become a greedy ruler. You're insane!"

Midna took offense to these words. Her fist reared behind her opposite shoulder and forcefully swung forward at a rapid pace into Ilia's sensitive jaw. The girl fell backwards; the impact of her skull to the floor knocked her into a state of unconsciousness. Midna stood over the girl, scowling at the wretch. "How dare you defy me in my own castle," she spat.

Her eyes suddenly widened, coming back to her senses and realizing the harm she had done. "I didn't do this! I would never do anything like that to her!" She innocently cried, moving away from the limp body. She grabbed her head and squeezed it as if that would force the wickedness out of her. "_Zant! _Get out of my head!" The frantic princess stumbled and she slammed into the wall.

She suddenly lost herself, and Zant easily managed to regain control once more. A malevolent grin creased on her lips and her eyes flickered with greed. "I'm not finished yet," Zant sang through Midna's teeth. The princess stood up straight again, recollecting her ordinary behavior.

Midna returned to Ilia's side and stared down at her, studying the girl buried in the hero's cloak. A certain something caught Midna's eye that lied next to Ilia's fragile body; a photo. She kneeled down and took hold of it, bringing it close to her face. It was a photograph of a woman with nearly similar physical attributes as Link. The curious princess turned it around. "Link's mother," she read aloud, her voice running across the smooth surface of the photograph. This picture would most certainly come in handy. She slipped the picture up her sleeve and left Ilia's side.

The princess glided up the steps and sat down on her throne. She casually threw one leg across the other, and she leaned her elbow on the arm of the chair with her check resting on the knuckles of her hand. Her eyes wandered to the sleeping girl in the center of the floor. That girl was a fool to have stood up to a god like that. Anyone was foolish to make such mistakes. Link indefinitely exceeded foolishness thinking he could defeat Zant once more. The wicked demon lightly chuckled, accepting the early victory. Just because Link now held three pieces of the Triforce didn't mean he could defeat Zant. After all, Midna was powerful enough to beat even a god. Link wouldn't be able to stand a chance against the princess' wicked form.

And as if on cue, the door that sat across from the throne room opened. Link wandered into the room, and his eyes instantly fell upon Ilia lying in the center of the throne room. He disregarded the fact that Midna was sitting on her throne only a few feet away and dashed to the poor girl's side, caressing her limp body.

"Don't bother with her," Midna sneered, brewing a white lie and changing her plans completely. Link's fierce eyes darted to the princess. "She's long since departed from this world. You were too late to save her, _hero_."

Midna's cold tone rang in his ears. Link gently set Ilia down and rose to his feet, prepared to strike at the enemy.

"Ah, ah, ah, Link," the princess sneered with a wave of her finger, catching Link's attention. "Don't you want to help her? Maybe there's a way to save that precious girl of yours."

Link slightly bowed his head, although his intent eyes remained locked onto Midna.

Midna hadn't originally planned to use Ilia this way, but maybe it would be for the better. Maybe she could somehow… convince him. "Obviously, you're much stronger than I am with the three pieces of Triforce buried into your soul, so I don't stand a chance against you. However, I have Midna on my side," Zant's voice began to take over, now referring to the princess instead of himself. "She beat me single-handedly in an amazing battle of the gods. Now with our powers combined, maybe I have a chance at defeating the great and powerful Hero of Hyrule." He let out a wicked laugh that echoed throughout the ceiling, throwing his head back.

"Or maybe I wouldn't have to fight you at all … Maybe with the help of this girl, you'd be willing to do me a favor." Midna's body stood from her chair and began to slowly descend from the stairway, one step at a time. "The people of Hyrule … They respect you like a god. They'll listen to you. With Zelda gone, I could easily rule over Hyrule as well as this place. If you could tell them to obey me, then maybe I could help your precious girl. Or maybe there's something else you would like…" The princess reached her arm deep into her sleeve and whipped out the photograph of Link's mother. She had no idea where this woman was or whether she was alive or dead or anything, but there had to be a way to induce the hero. "What if I said that I have your mother? Wouldn't you like to see her?"

Link's eyes dimmed down with both fervent and grief. To know that the nefarious Zant had his beloved mother locked away somewhere ate away at him. His parents had been here all along, suffering. Link never would have assumed. He always expected them to be somewhere safe in Hyrule. Zant had this planned out all along. How long had they been here waiting for Link to come to their aid? Link's heart felt heavy with agony, wondering what pains that his mother and father had been through. The hero's grip on his sword began to loosen. He lowered his weapon slightly. All he wanted was for his parents to be safe. He wanted to see them; see that they were safe.

But he couldn't. He had to save Hyrule. It was his destiny. Link's grip tightened around his sword again and he lifted his weapons once more, throwing his body into a fighting stance. For the love of Hyrule and all who inhabited inside of its sacred land, Link would risk the well-being of his parents and deceased friend in order to save those precious grounds. Three lives were better than millions, wasn't it? Was it worth the sacrifice?

Midna's eyes narrowed, familiar with Link's stance. He wasn't prepared to give in to her. She approached the bottom of the staircase and lifted a spiteful hand, curling her fingers into a ball engulfed by dancing flames. "And what if I told you that all of Hyrule is a stake? If you dare to lose this battle then every last Hylian, every last Goron, every last Zora will suffer! If you make me their ruler then I promise that their lives will be spared and I will cease to harm them! You defying me will mean the end of their wretched and pathetic lives. Don't you want to save the people of Hyrule? Don't you want to save this girl?! Your mother?! Don't you want to hear what I can do for you?!" Zant's true colors were beginning to show, his wrath pouring out of his mouth. He failed to persuade the hero out of battle, but it should have been expected from a loyal servant of Hylia.

"Are you honestly about to kill your friend?" Zant's voice spoke again, his voice more soothing. However, it quickly reverted back to Midna who batted her eyelashes at the hero. "How could you possibly think to hurt me? I thought we were friends. Or maybe… even more than that."

There were so many tricks that Zant was pulling. Link knew that his enemy was throwing excuses so they wouldn't have to fight, because Link would win. Most certainly. However, it must have been true about killing Midna. If Link were to battle his friend, then she would surely die; and _not _Zant. It wasn't fair that Midna had to suffer this way. No matter what Link did, he couldn't win. Midna would die. His parents would die. Ilia has already fallen into that wretched eternal sleep. But if he didn't act, then all of Hyrule's innocent lives would be demolished, and that wasn't fair to them. It wasn't fair to anyone. No matter what action Link took, someone would have to die. Would Zant still prevail?

The hero's scowl formed deep into his face, disgusted by Zant's cowardice ploys. There was no way around anything. As much as Link loved his friends, he had to save Hyrule. If he wanted to lift that world from a fate of destruction, he had to destroy Zant, but the only way to do that was by killing Midna. He tightly clutched onto his sword and shield, his hand cramping from having gripped onto it like that for so long. He was ready to dig his blade into Midna's stomach, although unwilling to.

Midna now crossed to Link, stepping over Ilia's sleeping body. The hero moved away from her. The princess smiled innocently at Link, but it wasn't her. It was Zant. "I'm not going to hurt you, Link," Midna's voice sang. Link felt himself breaking inside. "You're my very good friend. I would never hurt you, but I understand that you need to save Hyrule. If you want to strike me, then go ahead." She lifted her arms out and closed her eyes, well-knowing that it was safe to put her guard down. Link wouldn't dare to harm her. It was obvious that he was guilty from performing a blow to her head earlier, so he wouldn't dare kill her now.

Link only stared at her, his body trembling. Not even all of the courage in the world could persuade him to slice at his friend. He knew it wasn't Midna, but she still looked the same, acted the same at times. If only there was a way to bring her back. The gods were powerful beings, so why couldn't they do something? Link shook his head, frustrated with himself. He moved away from Midna at a greater distance, refusing to harm his friend any longer. She was already going through enough suffering. It wasn't fair that they had to face each other against their will.

Midna opened her eyes and smirked at the sight of the distraught hero musing over whether to attack or not. While the hero was distracted, she began to consume her hands with bits of Twilight. She then aimed her hand at Link in preparation to strike. However, the hero noticed this in a heartbeat. He rushed towards her in an instant before she could even think to attack. Link ducked down and slammed into her fragile body with his head and shoulder, knocking the princess flat on her black. She slid a little ways before coming to a slow stop.

This frustration in Midna's eyes was apparent as she forced herself into a sitting position. "So that's how it's going to be?" She spat, now coming to her feet. She was wobbly at first but easily managed to regain her balance. "Then you will surely face the deadly wrath of Zant! I'll steal away your pieces of Triforce and become the most powerful being of Twilight and Hyrule!" Midna's body was consumed by a wave of violent flames that spiraled around her body, and pieces of the Fused Shadows began to appear. Link moved back, knowing what was about to happen. She was transforming into her goddess form, a form that would be nearly impossible to defeat. As much courage as the Triforce bestowed upon him, it was much wiser to flee for the time being. He couldn't fight her in such a cramped space.

Link raced to Ilia's limp body and took a hold of her, although it was pointless since it was said that she was no longer amongst the living. Nonetheless, he loyally carried her body outside of the throne room and sped throughout the corridors, running for his life. He left before Midna even finished her transformation. Midna's growing body began to chase him through the hallways, the newly attached Fused Shadow pieces locked onto her head. They broke through each approaching doorway that Link passed through. He barely managed to keep out of her reach while he stumbled to speed up.

The frantic hero dashed out of the last door and exited into the outside. Many of the Twili looked at him in curiosity as his quick-moving feet dug against the cold stone of platform. His destination was the Twilight mirror so that he could warp himself back to Hyrule. He was just buying time so that he could think of a plan on how to stop that thing.

Link almost reached the mirror just when the demon crawled in front of the designated location. The enormous beast let out a mighty and fearsome roar, throwing Link back a ways. There was no use in running away from this malicious fiend; it would always trail right behind him. Knowing there was no way around it, Link gently set down Ilia on the floor and unsheathed his sword and shield, gripping onto the weapons for his life.

He backed away from the creature, Midna, his most close and beloved friend. His fierce eyes glared up at the creature, yet he held a wistful gaze. If there was anything he could have done to change this moment, he would have done everything in his power to stop it. He would've prevented Midna from entering the mirror where Zant lied on the other side. He would've convinced her to stay, and then none of this would've happened. His parents would have been safe and Ilia would have still been alive, along with the other few villagers. Zelda would have been still standing as well, and they'd live together peacefully in the kingdom of Hyrule.

But all of that was an impossibility now. Link stood before the gruesome creature, knowing their fates. Whether this was the last battle or whether there was more to come, Link would fight until both Hyrule and the Twilight Realm were saved. Link took a deep breath and took one last good look at Midna. If only there had been an easier way.

* * *

**I restarted and reedited this chapter so many times. I didn't know how to approach it. Also, we have quite a ways before this story ends, so don't expect an ending anytime soon! Thank you for reviewing and showing your support, guys:)**


	16. So Much Destruction

Chapter 16: So Much Destruction

Midna's body seemed to glow with an unholy power as she stared down at Link through the Fused Shadow helmet. She let out a mighty roar that echoed into the sky of the Twilight, stretching throughout miles of the Realm. Many of the Twili and other beasts of the Twilight Realm ran away in utter fear from the demonic beast. By the legends of their world, they knew that this hideous creature was their beloved princess who was battling the sacred hero. They weren't sure who the enemy was in this situation; either Link was defending them from Midna or Midna was defending them from Link. Regardless of who the savior was, they ran for their precious lives.

Link had accepted his fate in choosing to battle this ferocious beast and dear friend, and now he was going to face that fate. Midna slowly lifted one of her mighty arms above her head and brought it crashing down towards the hero, who quickly rolled out of the way. With the glowing master sword that wielded holy light, Link thrashed it across the hand, leaving a deep scar on its flesh. The gash glowed from the sacred power enveloped in the sword.

Midna let out a wince of pain at the small wound and instantly moved her hand away. It wasn't going to be easy to crush the hero. She began to slam her fists down on the ground in attempt to flatten him, but he was far too quick for her as he either jumped or rolled or spun out of the way. Most of the time he was able to nip her with his sword, erupting in another glistening wound on her hand. This went on for about several minutes before Midna grew tired with this play. She began to swat at him with her hands now, but Link only ducked or jumped back. No matter what sort of attack she tried to throw, Link was always able to dodge out of the way.

It was time for a different approach. Midna reached her hands towards Link, now prepared to grab him. Four hands came at Link all at once, so he wasn't able to escape this time. Thinking quickly, he tightly gripped his sword as the hands came near and spun around in a wide circle, deeply slicing all of the hands across their palms. Midna cried out in pain and retreated with her arms thrown high in the air, the glimmering light from her wounds stretched into the sky. Each individual cut burned her hands with an immense amount of pain, but it was nothing compared to what the hero would feel by the time she was done with him. Despite the pain that she felt, she had to overcome it to defeat the wretched hero.

Midna came in for a second time, repeatedly reaching four of her hands down at once towards the hero. She didn't give him much resting time as she moved down with immense speed. Link spun his sword like he had done before, and again Midna's hands were slashed, the light of pain growing brighter. But instead of her backing away this time, Midna grabbed at him anyway, cupping him inside the palms of her hands like a cage. Link stabbed and poked at her palms, but she just wouldn't let go.

The large beast suddenly rotated her hands and the hero stumbled off of his feet. Midna then removed three of her arms and took him in one hand, holding him around his arms and body like a small, fragile doll. Link kicked his feet and squirmed in an attempt to free himself, but he was far too weak compared to her demigod strength. He suddenly felt the breath being crushed out of him. Midna was tightening her grip around his body, crushing the feeble hero. He coughed and groaned in agony, but his grunts did him no good.

Midna watched him suffer and struggle for air, almost amused by his torment. No, this wasn't the way to go by. This was her friend. Midna stared down at him who glared back at her in determination to free himself. That familiar glare. Midna never thought in her lifetime that it would be directed towards her, but now it was. He was glaring at her with the same glare that he had given all of his enemies in the past. She was now one of his enemies whether they liked it or not. It was obvious by the regret on Link's face that he didn't want to fight her, and Midna didn't want to do this either. Yet she had no control over her body. Maybe she could regain her body; get control again. Maybe there was a way to stop Zant and save Link. Yes, she had to do that! She had to regain her body!

Midna's hands dropped to the floor and the hero fell from her grip, rolling to the ground. Although he was lightheaded, he forced himself to stumble away from her. Link suddenly watched in surprise as the beast grabbed at her own head. Midna cried out in anguish and tried to pull off the helmet, but would she be able to do it? The large demigod stumbled around him as she pulled and tugged on the helmet in a desperate attempt to rip it away. She slammed into the enormous castle behind her and damaged its fortress, causing cracks to erupt from the bottom of the castle to the bottom. Midna crawled from one island to the next, running into buildings and falling over her face. She wanted nothing more than to rid herself of this wicked curse. The animal flailed on the ground as it tore away at the Fused Shadow pieces, but her efforts only seemed to fall to waste. It was impossible to take it off.

To Link's surprise, the beast seemed to freeze in the midst of its seizure. He wanted to go and see if Midna was alright, but she was too far off on a different set of islands and would be impossible to reach. Besides, it wouldn't have been safe to get near her considering she was consumed by the Fused Shadows. He watched her stand up once more, the Twili writings moving all around her body. The enormous beast began racing towards the hero at a rapid pace. There was no possible way Link would be able to dodge this attack. The only thing left to do was to…

As the enemy neared closer and closer, Link quickly turned on his heel and dashed for the edge in the opposite direction. He had to jump off or else that beast would trample him to death. But where would he go if he leapt off the edge like this? Link's heart raced as he sped of the ledge, his legs moving faster and faster. He could feel the rumble of the island as the beast finally stomped onto it with her heavy hands. Midna came closer and closer, and Link arose in panic. Would he be able to make it? The beast swept her hand forward towards Link just as he jumped off of the edge.

Time seemed to slow down as he looked at the endless sky below him. The violet of the cloudy haze and the golden rays of the sky beneath it almost looked as if they were mending together. Link had always enjoyed the Twilight Realm; it was beautiful in its own way compared to the blue skies of Hyrule. There was no time to think about things like this. He had to act now or else he would fall for all eternity. Link removed his clawshot from his pouch and quickly turned around. He aimed it at the bottom of the island and shot it into the dirt. It barely managed to latch on at the very edge of its chain. Link's body jolted as his body sent a chain-jolting reaction to the top of the claw. Although he was dangling over what was deemed to be a black hole surrounded by light, he was safe from Midna.

Speaking of the beast, she peeked her head from over the ledge and looked down at him. All of a sudden, one of her enormous arms reached over the ledge and started towards the clawshot's chain. Link couldn't let her take a hold of it and pull him back up. The frantic hero removed his second clawshot, although having difficulty putting it on with one hand, and shot towards another spot under the island. It latched on securely and he released the first clawshot. The gravity allowed him to swing under the island. He began using his clawshots to travel under the large rock. Midna wouldn't be able to follow him under here, so this would be the perfect opportunity to sneak up on her.

Link reached the edge of the opposite side of the bottom of the island and became stuck, having no way up, but this was no problem for the hero. He began to kick his legs front and back. The kinetic energy allowed his entire body to move back and forth like a swing. With one last tough kick, his body swung forward and up high into the air. He released the clawshots that sent him in a series of spiraling backflips towards the top of the island again. However, as he traveled high in the sky, in the distance below him he could clearly see Midna still looking over the edge in search of the hero. Link positioned himself correctly and managed to roughly land on her back, barely keeping his balance.

Midna could feel someone on him and fell into a panic. She reached her arms behind herself and started patting at her back and squirming around. Link dug his blade into her back so that way he wouldn't fall off. Light spewed from the gash like a fountain, partially blinding the hero. She tossed and turned and Link's body swung every which way, but he didn't dare let go of the sword for fear of being slung out into the open abyss.

A sudden hand started to inch awfully close to the hero. With one hand, he removed a bomb from his pouch and slugged it at the approaching palm. It exploded on impact. Some of the beast's fingers were severely burned as they curled into a fist. Midna shrieked at the pain and started wriggling more than before. Link's grip started to loosen on the sword. He couldn't afford to let go. The hero managed to firmly plant his feet on her back and dug the sword deeper into her body, light pouring out like the sun. Midna cried and wailed and stumbled all around. Link closed his eyes from the vibrancy, and the lack of sight suddenly caused him to slip. His hands released the weapon and he began to fall down Midna's backside.

Again he took out one of his clawshots and aimed it at the hilt of the sword to grab a hold of. The chain went speeding for the handle, but unfortunately it passed it right by. Link's eyes widened and his pupils constricted. The hero's body plummeted through the sky, barely skidding against Midna's back. It seemed like forever until his fragile body impacted the floor and he bounced against the ground with several thuds. He wanted to lay there and sulk in his pain, but if he didn't move then he was sure to be crushed by the rampaging demon. Link first lifted his head and forced the rest of his body to a sitting position. He was completely sore and his head was pulsing with pain. There was no time to bask in his excruciation; one of Midna's hands dropped in his direction. Link staggered to his feet and hastily stumbled out of the way just as the hand slapped the ground.

The hero moved at a safe distance away from her and watched her flail her arms about. She must have been in so much pain. Link wondered if he stabbed any vital organs. A sore lump in his throat began to form as he sorrowfully watched his beloved friend cry and toss about. Her movements began to slow down and she became less and less restless. Link didn't think the impact of his blade would have honestly killed her. He only used it so he wouldn't fall off of her back. Had he known it would have killed her, he wouldn't have done it- but he would've had to sooner or later. It was his destiny whether he liked it or not. Maybe this was a sign that he never would have fulfilled his destiny in the first place, so the goddess had to make it look to him like it was an accident.

Midna's demigod body suddenly began to crumble, just like every past enemy he had defeated. Piece by piece the ashes fell until it revealed two figures lying next to each other on the ground. Midna lied face down while Zant remained on his back. Both of them didn't move a single muscle.

Link hesitantly strode towards them, afraid to look at Midna's wounds. He stood over her body and studied the gash on her back. The sword was still thrust into her shoulder blade. Link took a hold of the handle and slowly and carefully removed the blade, not wanting to inflict further injury, although she was most likely already dead. However, as he sheathed the blade away, Midna suddenly began to violently cough, blood spewing from her lips. Link rapidly kneeled down and rolled her onto her back and caressed her body in his arms.

Midna gazed at him with soft eyes and lightly smiled at him. "Nice to see you, hero," she whispered. Link couldn't smile back at her, consumed with guilt at having done this to her. Midna, being the good friend she always was, knew exactly what he was feeling. "It's okay, Link. I would have done the same thing to save my people. You have nothing to worry about." She suddenly erupted in a wave of coughs, and Link's fearful grip tightened around her body. She was slowly dying before his eyes.

When Midna recollected herself, she warmly smiled up at him once again. A gentle hand lifted from the ground and softly stroked his face. "Hey… I see those tears of yours, but don't you dare let them fall. Heroes aren't supposed to cry…" Her arm lied back down on her stomach and she took a deep, shuttered breath. "It's a shame of how many people you've lost within the last couple of days … The villagers, Zelda… me." She sort of chuckled, trying to lighten the mood but ultimately failing. "Ilia is still alive, so don't fret about that. Zant only knocked her unconscious. You still have one friend left in this world to my knowledge … Your mother- your parents, I have no idea about them. They were never in my kingdom or captured or … anything like that. I'm sorry Zant lied to you." Her feeble arm lifted once again and pulled the photograph from her sleeve, handing it to Link.

The hero lightly took it in his free hand and stared at it a moment, overjoyed to see it again. He slipped it back into his shirt and looked back down at her. He put all of his efforts into fighting his tears. He had worked so hard throughout this entire journey, and he wasn't about to cry now.

Midna's smile was becoming more and more faint, and the warmth from her body was leaving. "Link … I'm sorry about all of this. I really enjoyed spending time with you before all of this happened. You're one of my greatest friends, and you've done so much for me. Thank you … Forgive me, but I have one more favor to ask of you … A kingdom is nothing without its ruler, and I'm quickly approaching my last breath. I know you have so much on your plate already, but please… will you please… be the king of my precious Twilight Realm? Will you watch over them… like you watch over Hyrule? Please… keep them safe…" Her head fell limp and her body grew cold. The light in her eyes seemed to dim away and her last breath lifted into the air. It was finally over; her suffering had come to an end.

Link pulled her limp body to his chest and hugged her. How he desired to spend more time with his most cherished friend, but it was too late. He gasped, fighting to hold back his tears, and gently set her back on the floor. His hands moved across her eyelids as he carefully closed them. She looked so peaceful in the end of her death. After all of the torment she had gone through, she was finally able to rest in peace.

Link stood from her side and turned away from her. He looked out at the vast kingdom, basking in its glory. Despite some of the damage on the castle, it would be easy to repair with the aid of its citizens. Link now had two kingdoms to rule over; The Kingdom of Hyrule and the Kingdom of Twilight. It would be a difficult responsibility to manage two completely different worlds at once, but he would sincerely fulfill his promises to the fallen princesses; Zelda, his dear cousin, and Midna, his precious friend. They depended on him until the very end, and Link would do everything in his power to help the ones he loved and cherished.

"Oh, my head…" a sudden small cry erupted from behind Link. He swiftly turned around to see Ilia lifting herself from the ground, stumbling by her lack of balance. Link raced to her side and helped her stand on her feet. The two of them looked at the other in the eyes and smiled at each other, then Ilia suddenly threw her arms around his neck. Constant joyful tears rolled down her face. "Link! I was so convinced that you died! I'm so happy to see that you're okay!" Her hug grew tighter and her tears became more bittersweet. She buried her face into his shoulder and silently sobbed as Link gently stroked her back.

Ilia suddenly moved away from him and looked him in the eyes once more. She had to tell him. She couldn't delay her feelings for him any longer. The both of them had almost died so many times along their journey and she had to say something before it was too late. Her tears slowing to a stop, she fluttered her eyelashes and bashfully giggled. Her eyes directed to the floor, embarrassed from telling him. "So much has happened to us in the last few days. Link, I've always been so scared to tell you, but I have to tell you before time runs short." Link stared at her intently, coming to the conclusion of what she was going on about. The young girl looked back up at him, gazing at his handsome face. She leaned in closer and closer, lightly puckering her lips. "Link… Oh, dearest Link … I lov…"

The hero's attention was suddenly brought behind her. He looked over Ilia's shoulder and noticed the nefarious Zant roughly standing to his feet. He was quickly stumbling his way into the portal. Link gripped tightly onto Ilia's body and then lightly shoved her aside. Romance would take its turn in due time, but for now he had to take down Zant once and for all. Link unsheathed his sword and suddenly slashed away at Zant's helmet from behind.

Zant shrieked and pulled away from Link at a further distance. His helmet suddenly fell to the ground and he looked at Link with utter surprise. His fearful eyes looked down at Link's tight grip on the master sword. "You fool," Zant whispered, backing away from everyone. "There's no stopping me! I may not be able to defeat you in this world, but I can surely promise you that Hyrule will fall! You just watch me!" The foe suddenly turned around on his heel and raced for the Mirror of Twilight at a rapid pace.

Link growled and raced after the enemy. Ilia gasped and loyally followed behind him, making sure to stay close to his backside. Zant disappeared into the mirror before Link could grab at his clothes once more. The hero and the Ordonian stepped into the portal so that they too could be warped into the land of Hyrule. Link couldn't let Zant reach Hyrule Castle. He couldn't afford for another attack on the innocent kingdom.

In moments the two arrived back at the Gerudo Desert, but Zant was nowhere to be found. He had most likely already warped out of the area, but Link couldn't. If he desired to do that, then he would need Midna's power. Unfortunately, he would have to get there on foot. But would he be able to make it on time? Whether he could or couldn't, it still wasn't an option to stand around. In the end, he'd have to make it there and defeat Zant no matter what. The fate of all of Hyrule lied in Link's hands. Maybe he couldn't save Hyrule Castle or Castle Town, but at least he'd be able to save the rest of the land.

Link grabbed Ilia's hand and started off into a run towards the desert so that he could make his way back to the mainland. He couldn't leave Ilia behind nor let her _fall_ behind, so she would just have to learn to keep up. Unfortunately because of his location, it would take days to reach Hyrule Castle. The destruction of the beloved kingdom was most likely already starting.

* * *

Because of Zant's unfortunate return, the monsters around Hyrule have gone far more berserk than before and they double in amount. Link could never even put his sword and shield away there were so many. Ilia and Link were constantly traveling. Luckily, the hero called for his noble steed, so at least their journey wasn't completely exhausting with the help of quicker travel. However, they hadn't slept in days while journeying to the castle and had fallen extremely weary. Falling asleep would either result in an ambush from wild monsters or an assassination or a mauling or anything as deadly as those options. It was best to not fall asleep and keep their eyes peeled at all times.

They arrived at the gates of Hyrule at sunset and immediately dismounted Epona. Remnants of smoke still lifted from inside the castle walls. Zant had possibly already come and gone, and this was what was left of his destruction. Holding onto the last of their hope, Link and Ilia slowly trudged inside. Their spines shivered at the horrors they were looking at. Nearly all of Castle Town had crumbled to pieces. All that was left were large piles of ashes and smoke. Stained blood was mixed in with much of the soot and it was splattered onto the streets of Hyrule. Several bodies lied sprawled on top of the heaps of debris. Their faces were marked with expressions of utter fear and terror.

"Telma's Bar!" Ilia suddenly cried. "We have to go there! The villagers! Telma! Papa! They have to be alright!" She ran off into the streets before Link could even protest, so he loyally followed behind. They arrived at the scene in little time and looked about the area. This place, too, had fallen to pieces. Ilia's heart raced as she began to frantically dig through the rubble. "Papa?! Are you down there?!" But there was no reply. If there was a body down there, it would have most certainly been dead by now, whether that is from being crushed or lack of air.

The hero watched her sorrowfully for a moment, wondering what to do. If everyone had died, then there was nothing left they could do. He moved towards her and grabbed her arms, pulling her away from the dust and rubble. Ilia cried and kicked in protest, but Link was far too strong for her. He held her tightly from behind until she calmed down, gently letting her go once she was sane again. Ilia quickly wiped her tears away before they fell and moved away from the scene. "They probably escaped. We need to look around for survivors," Ilia whispered, striding away from him. Again, Link followed behind her.

The hero stared at each individual fallen Hylian, wondering what their last thoughts could have possibly been, if they had a family, their place in the world. Link hated himself for not having come quickly enough. Now every Hylian was dead, or at least that was a possibility. Nonetheless, the mass murder had still occurred. Even if some had escaped, where would they have gone? These people had stayed inside Castle Town all their lives and knew nothing of the outside world. At least the people of Ordon and Kakariko Village had knowledge of the land, but what other place was there to venture to? Surely they retreated to Zora's Domain or Lake Hylia, which hopefully remained unharmed. Emmaus and Natal would most certainly take good care of them. Then again, maybe everyone within the castle walls died, and maybe Lake Hylia was destroyed as well. There were endless possibilities, but it was better to be hopeful.

Link came to a sudden stop. Looking among the rubble and destruction, Link could feel himself growing weaker. This was the land that he loved so much and he couldn't even protect it. As the new king of this land, he should have been able to keep it out of harm's way, but he failed. Link clenched his fists, trying to hold back his anger, but he wanted to scream and yell. But there was no point in such childish things when he could just find Zant and defeat him. However, destroying Zant wouldn't make up for the precious lives lost and destruction caused.

Ilia gently placed a hand on Link's tense shoulder, and he seemed to relax a bit. She moved to his side and looked at the expression in his eyes. He looked defeated, yet the true battle had yet to begin. Ilia couldn't let him give up. She stroked his arm in attempt to soothe him. He was everyone's last hope; if Link fell into a deep state of certain depression or happened to give up, then no one would have anyone to depend on. The world would fall into the hands of that evil creature.

"Remember when…" Ilia started, her voice soft like a light breeze, "when Emmaus and Natal said that your parents, a mighty King and Queen, worked hard to save Hyrule? They saved it because they loved this land and all of its people. And you love this land too, and I know you want to work hard to protect it. Despite all of their fails, they still prevailed in the end. The castle had fallen completely to ruins, but by the determination of the people they were able to easily rebuild it. Sure, we might have lost a lot of these people, but there are probably still some out there somewhere. Look at Emmaus! She's a Hylian, so there's bound to be others still alive.

"Link, the point is that no matter what happens, you need to keep on fighting. Your real mother and father put all of their power into saving this precious land. If they knew where you were right now, I bet they'd be really proud of you. I'm proud of you, and everyone among Hyrule is depending on you. You're our only hope to save us from that monster. If you can bring that thing to an end, then we the people can all help rebuild this place. Please, Link. Don't give up. We're all counting on you. Your parents worked so hard to save this place; to create a world safe enough for their beloved son. I know you're tired of fighting, but please keep fighting. We really need you."

Link looked over at her with sympathy. He had never thought about giving up in the first place, but Ilia's speech most certainly inspired him to work harder on this mission. Earlier he desired to rest from the lack of sleep, but now he didn't even have the willpower to sit down. He had to find Zant as soon as possible and stop that horrific creature. Link turned to Ilia and suddenly threw his arms around her. It was all he could think to do. No words could express his thanks for strengthening him.

Ilia tenderly lifted her arms as well, tightly hugging onto him. This was the time to tell him how she truly felt, if anything. But she couldn't. He needed to focus on defeating that beast. And what would happen if he defeated it? Would he disappear like his parents? Emmaus said they had somewhat ceased to exist after their encounter with a dark force. So what would happen to Link? Ilia pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes. He no longer looked defeated, but determined. In a way, Ilia wished she had never encouraged him to fight. She didn't know what would happen if he succeeded, except that Hyrule would be safe from evil once more. "Link," Ilia whimpered. "What happens if you win?"

Link's eyes narrowed, looking at her in confusion.

"I don't know what will happen to you if you prevail. When your parents fought the previous dark force, they… they ceased to exist. If you fight Zant and win, won't you disappear too?" Ilia stopped herself, realizing how idiotic she sounded. "Of course, maybe your parents are just traveling the land. I'm not sure. Of course they didn't disappear. I just… hope…" She trailed off, trying to collect her thoughts. Her eyes focused on the dirt, not wanting to look at him. She could feel herself tearing up. Ilia absolutely hated how sensitive she could be. "I hope you come back. If you decide to leave this place, please tell me. Tell me so I'll know where to look in case I want to find you again." Tears began to stream down her face again mixed with silent sobs. She buried her face into Link's chest, not wanting him to look at such a weak girl.

The hero hugged her tightly. His heart fluttered by her compassion. However, he never planned on leaving. He had to rule over the kingdom, as well as the land of Twilight. If he was able to defeat Ganondorf and Zant in the past without "disappearing," then surely he wouldn't "disappear" now. Ilia always came to such strange assumptions and conclusions, but that was one of the things he liked about her. She was amusing to him, and her concern for him and everyone was absolutely heartwarming. It was a shame that he would hardly be able to have time to see her anymore, considering he'd be so busy managing the two different worlds. All he could do was bask in the moment.

* * *

**Phew, sorry that took so long to get out. I have had a bad case of writer's block, lately. I've been looking at Zelda walkthroughs and mangas and stuff for inspiration, but none of it seems to be helping. It just makes me want to start on a new story, haha! Thank you for all of your nice comments and reviews. I really appreciate them.**


	17. Hopeful and Wistful

Chapter 17: Hopeful and Wistful

Ilia and Link departed their separate ways after moving away from the embrace. Ilia ventured off into the land of Hyrule in search of her family and the rest of the villagers to see if they were alright. She had a fairly decent idea about the map, so she'd be able to navigate herself around. And if she did get lost, Link was kind enough to give her his map just in case. Along with the boomerang and slingshot and the map, he also gave her his bow and arrow to better defend herself against the outbreak of monsters. However, the most important item given to her was the bottle fairy given to Link by Falbi. The hero wanted Ilia to give it to Rusl as an apology for harming him before. Like Link always preached, it was good to keep a relationship between a parent and their child, even if they weren't truly related. Soon enough after one last final hug, the young girl ventured off into the land of Hyrule in search for her people, while Link remained in the fallen Castle Town. He was still searching for clues of the whereabouts of Zant, and he wanted to know if anyone remained inside the castle.

The fortress was the only thing that remained standing among the rubble of Castle Town. How it managed to stand tall was beyond Link's comprehension, unless Zant chose to let it stay for reasons unbeknownst. Nonetheless, Link ventured forward to the Castle of Hyrule, holding bitter hopes that Zant lied somewhere inside. That creature could have been anywhere among Hyrule by now. He could've been harassing Zora's Domain or setting fire to the Ice Caps or anything he desired. In fact, he could have well as returned to the Twilight Realm, wreaking havoc to the innocent dwellers of that land. No matter where that coward lied, Link was determined to bring that scoundrel to an end, to follow him no matter where he went. The beast had destroyed so many precious things that the hero was personally fond of; Ordon Village, Kakariko Village, Castle Town, the Twilight Realm, and many of his closest friends. That monster had to be stopped before he destroyed everything Link ever loved.

As Link entered the gate to the garden, his eyes darted around the area, both pleased and surprised at what he saw. This place hadn't been touched by Zant's destructive hands. Everything here was exactly the way Link left it merely a few days ago. Perhaps Zant had no desire to demolish this place or maybe he was in a rush and it deemed him he should skip it. Whatever the reason, Link was still determined to march inside. Zant could have been hiding inside of there.

Link neared the mighty doors to the castle, and the closer he approached the louder the vicious creatures became. They roared and screeched and bashed at the mighty doors on the other side. The bull-ring knobs on the center of the doorway shook and rattled with every aggressive impact. Those malicious fiends were desperate to flee that area. They must have been starving having been trapped inside of that desolate castle for three days without food; unless they devoured everyone inside. Link shuddered at the thought of them ripping the flesh off of all of those innocent Hylians. He wondered how many people were able to escape with their precious lives, and if Zelda's mother, his_ aunt_, was still standing on her feet. If anyone or anything, that was absolutely the last trace of family he knew of. As selfish as it sounded, more than anyone right now he at least wanted to know if she was still alive. Link had so many questions and she would be able to answer them all.

Link placed his hand on the rattling door. He was going to let it swing open and then he'd slice every enemy that crossed his path. Link firmly gripped the doorknob with both hands, but suddenly throwing the door open didn't seem like a good idea. Instead, he took a deep breath and barely cracked it open to peek inside. All of a sudden, a crazed lizalfos began shoving itself at the door and screamed wildly. It thrashed its arms in the air in attempt to squeeze through the crack. Link forced it to stay closed as he peeked over the monster, looking at all what was inside. There was a small hoard of those vicious lizards crowded around there. Some of them began to take snap to the open door. They cried out as well and raced for the door. Link rose in panic. He quickly shoved his back to the heavy door and pushed on it with all the force he carried, closing it against the wild beasts. He couldn't let them escape. One of the creatures' arms stuck out of the door and clawed at Link's clothes. It ripped at his shoulder sleeve and scratched at his face. With one last burst of energy, he dug his feet against the ground and slammed the door shut, crushing the lizalfos' arm in between the crack.

The beast cried out in agony, but there was nothing it could do to free itself except wickedly flail its arm about. Highly irritated with this monster, Link unsheathed his sword and sliced through its arms. The cries grew more intense as the limb fell to the ground and shriveled. Now all Link had to do was rid the room of those monsters without getting mauled. He could have lost his life just now due to his own carelessness. Link began to dig in his bag in search of a precious item that had helped him get out of many tight spots. He pulled out a bomb, one of few. With this handy item, he could scorch everything in that room. He gripped his bomb in one hand and the doorknob in the other. In one swift movement, he swung the door open, tossed the ball inside and forced the door shut against the rabid animals once more. He crouched down and plugged his ears. An enormous explosion was heard behind the shivering door as the bomb burst into flames. Cries of the lizalfos rose to the top of their lungs and immediately died down within impact of the explosion. All was silent from the other side.

Link waited a few moments before standing to his feet, making absolutely sure he didn't hear another sound from behind the door except the sizzling of their blazing bodies. He placed his hand on the door knob for the last time and cautiously opened it, barely peeking his eyes inside. It was a horrific sight to look at, the mangled bodies and detached limbs across the floor and the blood splattered on the walls, but it was the only way to save his own life. Now that the coast was clear, he entered inside, keeping sure to hold his sword and shield in front of him in case of an ambush.

Most of the halls and rooms were like this; filled with some sort of strange creature. This process had to be repeated several times until he finally ran out of bombs, which didn't last long considering he didn't have very many bombs in the first place. His only choice now was to sneak past the numbers of creatures. However, just like every previous room there were more in the next one, and most of the time it was quite difficult to sneak past the alert bunch. He was forced to use his ball and chain to remove a mass of them from the living, but every now and then they struck him in his leg or his arm or his torso. The hero wondered if it was a mistake to wander into the castle; there was absolutely no way that Zant still roamed somewhere inside with nothing to do. Or maybe he was using these monsters to protect himself. With this thought in mind, it only encouraged him to work harder to bring them down, and so he did exactly that.

A sudden scream erupted from somewhere inside the fortress. Link didn't recognize the voice, but that didn't stop him from bolting for whoever was in danger. He raced through the halls now, not caring what monsters got in his way. He beat and bashed at them with his shield and sliced and slashed at them with his sword. When it came to the risk of an innocent life, Link was unstoppable. He would do everything in his power to help this stranger in need.

He suddenly came into a very spacious kitchen, and inside was a giant Zant head crowding around a cabinet. It bashed its body against the wood, trying to break it open and get inside. The shrieks rose in volume with every hit. "Someone please help me!" The feminine scream called.

Link removed his ball and chain from his pouch once more and began to swing it around like he done previously. He called to the enemy, and as soon as the head turned to look at him, the hero released the ball and sent it smashing into the head. It burst into pieces, its chunks smashing and breaking against the walls and floor. As easy as that, the beast was dead. Link returned his weapon to his bottomless pouch and raced to the cabinet. He tried to open it, but the door was locked tight and only more screams pierced into the castle. Link spoke in a smooth tone, coaxing whoever was inside to come out and for them to keep their voices low. Soon enough, his coaxing succeeded; the door cracked open and Link was able to see an eye. The eye widened at the sight of the hero, and the door was suddenly thrown open and an elderly woman dressed in torn and bloodied attire leapt from inside. She landed on the floor on her feet, almost tumbling over.

As this woman revealed herself, more and more people began to emerge from the cabinets and the pantries too. They had all been hiding inside of this room, but for how long? Many of them looked beyond weary and worn out, while others were severely injured. Link would've given them some potions so that they could easily heal, but he didn't have any on him. He honestly didn't expect to run into any survivors. Despite their wounds and fear, they all stared silently at Link with some sort of hope. He had saved Hyrule in the past, and he had just recently saved them all now. However, they also stared at him with a different thought in mind, like they knew something that he didn't.

The old woman's soft cerulean eyes gazed up at Link and she warmly smiled at him. "Ahhh, you must be Link, the savior of Hyrule. Thank you for saving all of us," she cooed, taking a hold of his hands and squeezing them once. Link didn't want to stick around and talk to this strange woman; he wanted to hurry and find Zant before he disappeared again. However, this woman insisted that he stayed, and so he obediently did so. This poor woman had experienced so much violence, so it was only fair that he accompanied her for a while. "I've heard tales all about you across the land of Hyrule. You're quite the brave one, hero." She let out a chuckle, but Link shushed her so that the beasts wouldn't hear them.

The quirky old woman let go of his hands and pulled out a stool to sit on. She looked back at him and bore her teeth through another smile. Despite her tattered clothing and misshapen hair, she still attempted to portray a mask of elegance. With all of the trouble going on around the castle, Link would have thought that this woman and everyone else would've wanted to dart right out, but oddly enough everyone chose to stay. Link couldn't understand them, but he wasn't complaining either. It was about time he took a break from all of this roughhousing anyway, so staying with them for a while would do him good. The woman took a deep breath before speaking again; "I know you're rather busy, but… but I feel that it's necessary that I speak with you right now before you run off again. You see, Princess Zelda passed away not too long ago, and it was said that the man who brought her demised body into the castle was wearing that of a green tunic." The woman eyed him up and down, studying his clothes.

Link's heart jumped and he winced from guilt, recalling the dreadful memory of the princess, _his_ _cousin_, sacrificing herself to bestow a piece of the Triforce upon him. It wasn't his fault. It was the only way to defeat Zant for good. Before he could even defend himself, the woman continued.

"Lucky for you, I won't accuse you of murder. You see, a few days ago before she passed away, she told me of her fate and what she must do for her kingdom. I was devastated, but I understood what she had to do. Reality didn't hit me until I finally saw her body. I cried out in agony. I didn't know how I would be able to live with myself…" She shifted in her seat, seeming to take on a new role. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling you this. Well, I'm sure you were just as distraught as I was after seeing her like that, but it was a part of your fate too. Unlike you, who was utterly forced to continue on with your journey without time to grieve, I was stuck in my room bawling like a child. What good would that do me, or anyone for that matter?" She let out a light and sorrowful chuckle. "I want to thank you for being so strong for the kingdom. You've seen so much, yet you're still so young. A child like you shouldn't have to witness such things. I… I remember you back when you were just an innocent little boy…"

Link's eyes lit up and he lightly gasped.

"Unfortunately by the look in your eyes, I'm sorry to say that I'm not your mother, but I am the mother of Princess Zelda. I suppose that makes me your aunt. You two used to play together, and you couldn't even walk yet. You were the most adorable children I've ever seen…" She grew silent, contemplating of what to say next or how to say it. She seemed to be at a deep search for words. "I owe you a large explanation for all of this. You're probably wondering why we never told you anything, or ever went out to search for you. The truth was that we knew where you were all these years.

"During Ganondorf's reign, your father and mother handed you off to a capable soldier named Rusl. He's been taking care of you, or so he's told me. We wanted to take you back in, but we all knew of a terrible fate that you'd have to face in the near future. It dawned on us that you would grow stronger if you lived out in the village, and you'd have a better understanding for the land of Hyrule. Compared to my daughter, it's obvious that you know and understand the world much more than she ever could, despite all the wisdom she was bestowed. Maybe after all of this is over, we can sit down and talk about everything. I want to tell you everything right now, but this place isn't safe. I just desperately had to tell you all that I could before you went into battle. I know you've fought Ganondorf in the past just like your parents did, but this is a new strange force. I had to tell you right now, because… because I wasn't sure if you-"

"My queen, we have to go back into hiding," one of the servants whispered, peeking through the door way. He looked back at the two and shivered. "Some of those beasts are comin-" He suddenly stopped and his eyes fell upon the courageous hero. Link walked right past him and moved into the hallway.

He stood firmly on his feet in the center of the corridor, tightly gripping onto his sword and shield. Ever since he was first given the title as the hero chosen by the gods, he was determined to defeat anything that came into his path to save the holy land of Hyrule. He wanted to keep his friends and everyone close to him safe and live in a world free from evil, so that's why he worked so hard to protect the ones he loved, so they wouldn't live in fear. Now that he had discovered his aunt, the closest being possible to the origin of his existence, he had someone new to protect. He was going to do whatever it took to keep her alive, because he had so many questions about his parents and the rest of his family. She could take him to them, and then he and his mother and his father and his aunt and everyone else in his undiscovered family could live happily in peace together. It would have been nice to have Zelda around, but at least she died for a good cause. He was determined to keep the rest of them alive, and the only way to do that was to defeat every last beast under Zant's rule.

The monsters let out a mighty roar. Link lifted his feet and bolted for the incoming enemies. He let out a cry of warning and sliced the first one through its stomach, spun around and sliced the next one through its chest. The hero thrashed his sword all around him, stabbing each and every last creature in his way. There was no match for the indestructible Link. He used his shield to ram a row of enemies together into the wall and struck them all through the chest with his sword. He unsheathed it from their bodies and revealed his bloodied blade. A moblin came up from behind him and it successfully landed a hit on the hero, but it did the creature no good. Link only turned around and swiped the beast under its chin, striking right into its head. Another beast began to race for him, but the hero was able to kick it back with his foot. He released his sword from the slaughtered body and brought it forward into the enemy, violently slashing through its body. More and more enemies began to surround him, but he was able to easily take them down with one quick spin of his sword.

The crowd of innocent bystanders watched in horror as Link ripped his way through all of those enemies. They didn't judge him, however. That was their hero, and he had to be aggressive if he ever planned on prevailing in the end. The queen stared at him with eyes of content and a heart of hope. This was to be the new ruler of Hyrule. By the proud determination in his eyes, he would be a magnificent ruler whether or not he knew of the kingdom's duties.

Link was finally able to defeat the last enemy without trouble. It fell to the ground among the rest of the mangled bodies covered in blood. Link stared at all of the violence he had committed. He wasn't proud of the handy work, but he was glad that he was at least able to protect everyone. He only wished they hadn't chosen to watch. Link looked back at them with apologetic eyes, especially towards his aunt, and many of them nodded in approval. The Queen smiled warmly at him, knowing he was about to be on his journey again. She held out her arms to hug him one last time before he left. She didn't even care that he was covered in blood; she wanted to embrace her beloved nephew. She hadn't hugged him since he was only a small and fragile child, and that must have been around 17 years ago.

Link gave off a vibrant smile, heart warmed by his aunt's compassion. He took a step towards her to join in on the hug, but as soon as he did so he collapsed into a kneel. Link tried to lift himself back to his feet by his sword, but he couldn't manage. His leg pulsed with a sudden pain; it was the same leg that he had damaged in the past. He thought it had healed, but it apparently it wasn't healed enough and now had reopened in the last battle, most likely because something was able to strike him again.

The Queen gasped in astonishment and raced to his side. A few others who could stand on their feet came to the hero's aid as well. They stared at him, bewildered at such a sight. They never expected to see such a strong hero fall.

"Is he going to be able to fight like that?" Someone asked.

Another character elbowed him in the arm. "Don't be so selfish! He's hurt!" This character threw Link's arm around his shoulders and helped the hero roughly up to his feet. "You need to sit down and not exert so much energy."

The Queen shook her head, well knowing of what Link would do. Though she had never known him personally, Link would be just like his parents. He'd be stubborn and run off again, not wanting help from these people although he'd be gracious by it. The old woman removed Link's arm from the man's shoulder, and the hero almost fell to his knees again but forced himself to stay up. The two of them softly looked into each other's eyes, understanding one another completely. They didn't need words to speak, but for everyone else's lack of comprehension, the Queen spoke for them. "You're a strong boy," she started to Link, her voice smooth and soothing. She placed a tender hand on his blood stained cheek. "If you're anything like your father and your mother, then I know most certainly that it would hurt your pride to beg for help. You want to stand on your own two feet, and I respect that." She moved forward and hugged him before he decided to run off again. "Please don't push yourself too hard, for my sake. I'd like to have a nephew return to me in one piece."

Link was hesitant at first, unsure of how to react. But it didn't take long for him to eagerly lean forward and hug his dear aunt as well, putting some of his body weight on her. He gently squeezed her, not wanting want to let go of the benevolent soul. He had been searching so long for his parents, and he was finally able to meet with his aunt. All he wanted to do was find his family, and now he was finally about to have them all. A sudden tear slipped down his cheek, unexpected of the hero. He fought so hard to stay strong, and now he was about to collapse. No, he couldn't let that happen. Not in front of all these people who put all their faith in an able-bodied hero. Link quickly wiped the tear away, not wanting to portray such weakness in front of his believers. He moved back and grinned at the old woman, taking everything she said to heart. She smiled up at him as well and patted him on the shoulder. Link then began to step away from her, almost at a limp. He turned around and faced the hallway. Zant was still somewhere in here. He had to stop him. It was time to focus.

Without thinking, Link was running through the corridors of the castle. His leg was surging with intense pain, but he didn't care. He wanted to find Zant. He was going to take that fiend down no matter the pain on any part of his body. He was sore from having fought so much, and he was tired from the lack of sleep. But the encouragement from his newfound aunt was what drove him to keep moving. He was going to throw every last bit of energy away for his family. Not only for them, but the people of Hyrule as well. His friends, his acquaintances, the deceased, the strong, the weak, the old, the young, everyone. As he moved through the castle at rapid speeds in search of the nefarious beast, his thoughts consumed themselves with everyone he had ever met. Rusl had been the one who had taken care of him all along, and all of the villagers pitched in to take care of the boy and raise them as their own too. He made friends along the way as he grew older, Ilia being his closest. However, he made better relationships with someone after that; Midna. And he discovered Zelda to be his cousin, and found his aunt. There were so many people along the way as well who taught him meaningful things, people like Renado and and Rutela the Zora Queen, and Emmaus and Natal.

Emmaus and Natal. Despite how angry they made him and everything they lied about, they ended up becoming very dear to him as well. Because of their lies, Link became closer to them in any way imaginable. They weren't anything near close enough to be considered parents, but they could be his friends. After all of this fighting was over, he'd be sure to visit them someday, and tell them all that had happened to him. He'd visit every last one of his precious friends. He'd visit Rusl, whom he loved as if that was his own father. He'd visit Ilia and the rest of the villagers and his friends' graves, as well as Midna's grave. He would visit the Zoras and the Gorons and the Twili and everyone within Hyrule's walls and beyond that.

And he'd find his parents. His _real_ parents. And he'd tell them all about what he went through, and they'd be so proud of him.

"Wretched hero," a sudden voice called, interrupting the boy from his thoughts. Link weakly skid to a stop and turned on his heel to look at Zant standing behind him. His hideous face was visible, and masked on his face was a contemptuous frown. "I'm tired of you following me. I don't care whether or not you have the three pieces of Triforce in your hand. I have magic. I have power. I can take you down with all of the strength I have!" And with that, Zant created some sort of energetic ball and struck it at the ceiling above the hero. A large span of debris began to fall from the ceiling, and Link was quick enough to roll and stumble out of the way. He coughed and cleared the dust from his vision, but when everything was visible again, Zant was gone. "If you want to defeat me…" the voice echoed throughout the halls, "I'll be waiting patiently in the throne room."

Link growled at the voice. This was it. He was going to take that beast down even if it killed him. Link rose to his feet with the help of his sword and began again through the castle. His leg stung with pain, but that wasn't going to stop him. If it didn't stop him before, it wouldn't stop him now. He silently thanked Ilia for having worked so hard to repair him, even if it failed. It would have been nice to have that fairy bottle right now, but it was better if Rusl used it, the man who had raised him nearly since birth. He needed it more. Link whispered an apology to Rusl. The man had gone through so much to help Link on his journey, and the hero only did him wrong in the end. When all of this was over with, he'd be sure to apologize in person, and thank the rusty man for everything he did.

Link had quite a few things to look forward to after this battle, now that he thought about it. Not to mention that he had two whole worlds to rule over. There was so much to be done as the Hero of Hyrule, but he would do anything for the sacred lands. He loved Hyrule, and he would come to love the Twilight Realm as well. He only wanted everything to be peaceful again.

The hero approached the stairs, taking one painful step at a time. He was about to battle Zant for the second time in his life; the first time having been aided by Midna. He wished she was there to help him now. They would defeat him together like they had done in the past. But he was unfortunately alone in this battle. All he had was the spirit of his parents and the hope of everyone in Hyrule. That was all that he needed to defeat this fiend. Link placed his hands on the doors and tightly gripped their handles. This was it. He was truly about to fight Zant. Even in his weakened state, he was determined that he would be able to do it. There was no turning back. Link had to save Hyrule. With a deep breath and a cross of his heart, he swung the mighty doors open and ventured inside the dark room.

* * *

**So the encounter with his aunt was actually going to be put in the epilogue, but I didn't have anything planned for this chapter so I substituted. I know that's lazy, and I admit that a lot of this chapter was lazily written. BUT it will get better. I think. I hope. In all honesty, I'm just ready to be done with this story. Asfghdk. Anyways, thank you all for your support and keeping up with my story so far. I really appreciate it.**


	18. Rebirth

Chapter 18: Rebirth

Little did Link know that this was indeed the very place where his parents had fought Ganondorf years and years ago. This was also the location where Link had defeated Ganondorf merely a few months before. The throne room was almost like a link between the child and his mother and his father, but he didn't know that. Link only knew this place to be where he was to bring Zant to an end. This place seemed to be nothing but of turmoil. Every time he ventured into the throne room, something terrible happened. The very first time Link came into this place was the battle between he and Ganondorf. The very second time resulted in Zelda's horrid sacrifice, a memory that would dig into his heart for the rest of his life. Now he was about to battle Zant in this dreadful room, having finally stepped foot in there for a third time. He didn't know what would happen except that he was going to battle and that he was going to have to win, or else the fate of Hyrule would be devastating. Link hoped not to have to ever enter this room again, not even when residing as king or prince. He'd most certainly lock the doors to this place.

As Link's eyes adjusted in the darkness, he could recognize the stain of Zelda's blood still lying on the carpet. It was dry by now, and most likely left a smell along with it too, but Link wasn't about to stick his nose there. His eyes only remained glued to it, the ache of his heart recalling the incident that occurred. He wished he could forget that memory, but it would forever remain embedded in his soul. Link would fight for her in memory of her sacrifice. With the power of the Triforce of Wisdom, the Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Power, it was plain to be that he wouldn't fail this battle now. Link would be unstoppable. He would definitely avenge Zelda's death, but not only _her_ death; he would avenge Midna as well, for she had experienced so much suffering throughout the past few months. He would also avenge all of the innocent lives lost due to Zant's destructive rage, especially against the hero's close and beloved friends.

The further that Link walked inside, the more that it deemed on Link that he was alone. There was neither a sound nor a sight of another figure in the throne room with him. Link wondered where that coward could have possibly run off to. Zant must have realized that he didn't stand a chance against the hero who was now all powerful with his pieces of Triforce. It would have been wise for the evildoer to run, but he would have nowhere else to go. Link would eventually find him and rid the beast of this world in a matter of time. It would be best for Zant to just get the pain over with and die right then. But he wouldn't do that. As much of a coward as that fool was, he would still fight for his life, his rights. It was a shame that destiny wasn't so easy.

Link strolled to the throne and looked on either side of it. The entire room had been explored by now, and Zant wasn't inside. It was odd. He was nowhere to be found. Link began to assume that the fool was hiding. That animal was most likely going to throw some sort of sneak attack on the hero. Link drew his sword and shield and gripped tightly onto their handles. He would easily be able to defend himself this way. Hopefully.

"Link…?" A sudden feeble voice called from behind him.

The hero instantly turned around in his fighting stance, his clutch tightening on the hilts. However, his grip suddenly loosened once laying eyes on the figure standing in the open doorway to the throne room. The sun had finally set and now the only thing left in the sky was the vibrant moon. It bestowed a dark silhouette beneath it, the silhouette of a petite and womanly figure, and a shadow stretched all the way across the floor and lifted onto the walls. Link concentrated on the woman long and hard, recognizing the being in his presence. His eyes widened in shock and he held his breath, unbelieving of what he was looking at. His body felt numb. He helplessly dropped his weapons by his feet as he took an unsteady step forward. His heart raced with some sort of newfound hope. He wanted to say something, but he was at an utter loss of words. His mind had drawn blank. All that the hero could do was give a dumbfounded stare with his mouth slightly agape. This woman was… his mother.

A light smile was scarcely seen on the woman, and she began to move closer to him. His mother moved much quicker than Link at a rapid pace, excited to reunite with her child. The woman threw her arms around Link's neck and squeezed him tightly. "Oh, my darling boy," she silently wept into his shoulder. Her shoulders shook with every sob as she dug her nails into Link's clothes, pulling him as close to her as she could.

Link's arms trembled as he slowly lifted his hands to hug her around the waste. He was still far beyond disbelief that this was his mother. But of course it was. It was most definitely the same woman as from the picture. The same hair. The same eyes. The nose. Lips. Entire face and body structure. And her voice … His mother's voice was so soft and soothing. The way she spoke to him warmed Link's heart. He tightly hugged her around her back, bring his mother as close to his chest as possible. Link's eyes were wide eyed, unbelieving that he was embracing his mother. Never in a thousand years had he dreamed that he'd be able to touch her like this. It always seemed like a distant desire that would never come true. And yet, here she was. His mother appeared from out of the blue. It wasn't certain where she had come from or why she was here at this very moment, or even where his father could have been, but the hero didn't care. All that he could fathom in that very moment was that he was holding onto his beloved and dearest mother. That was all that mattered, and he didn't want to ever let her go.

Silent gasps slipped his lips and fluent tears began to roll down his cheeks. He tightly shut his eyes and a soft smile creased his lips. Where had she come from? Where had she been all this time? His mother quietly shushed him and stroked the back of his hat as if she were running her fingers through his hair. She was no longer crying like he was, but she was gentle and calm. "My child," she whispered to him. "I've missed you for so long." And with every word she spoke, they would squeeze each other once more, reassuring themselves that the other was in fact real. "Link, you've fought so hard for far too long. It's over. You don't have to do this. You need your rest. You're so weak. So tired." She continued to talk like this to him with her smooth tone against his ear, and she never stopped rubbing his back. Link only silently listened to her. He had been strong for far too long. The hero wasn't a fan of tears, but it was fine to let them out now. It was safe to cry in his mother's arms.

As his mother let out a silent giggle, Link could immediately tell that something was wrong. He suddenly went to push away from her, but her grip was far too strong, especially to be that of such a woman. Her hand went down and her nails suddenly dug into the wound on his leg that was reopened only minutes before. He gasped in pain as he managed to wiggle and force his way out of her dastardly arms without hurting her. The hero fell flat on his back and let out another cry of pain, the stinging and ache in his leg pulsing with pain. Link sat back up to hold his leg, pushing on it to keep the blood from coming out. Link looked up at the woman in utter confusion, wondering why or how she would do such a thing, and then came to the sorrowful realization that this wasn't his mother at all. She glared down at him with a malicious grin and her hand stuck out in front of her with some sort of burning aura around her fingertips. It was Zant. Link should have realized it by the woman's extremely young face. It was exactly like the one in the photograph. His mother would have age lines and wrinkles by now.

"You're definitely a fool," Zant cackled through the woman's voice. "I wouldn't expect to take you as one considering how far you've gotten. Then again, you're a fool for even coming here." The flames around the woman's fingers began to burn with a deeper color, lighting up the dark room with its blue vibrancy. "Now… face my wrath!" The beast called, shooting an enormous flame towards the hero.

Link's eyes widened as he went to lift up his shield, but it wasn't there. He had dropped it to the ground a couple feet away before hugging onto his illusioned mother. Link forced himself to rise to his unsteady feet to get out of the way, but the flame only hit him square in the chest, knocking him down again. The flames' power was excruciating, yet there wasn't a sign of dust or fire upon his body. But it still hurt nonetheless. Before Zant could fire another bullet, Link crawled to his weapons at a rapid pace and turned around just in time to block another scorching flame. This impact was much stronger than the last and caused his body to slide and roll against the floor. He slammed against the stairs and grimaced in pain, still sore from having fought Midna a few days before. The battle really left a mark on him. Zant began to fire more and more balls of fire at Link who hid behind his shield for protection. The heat of the blast was still burning him, but it didn't leave him that intense pain like before. It only made him hot.

Link couldn't think to do anything else but to sit there. He should have slept before coming into this battle. Now his reflexes were slow. It was going to be difficult fighting like this.

Link barely focused his eyes on the woman over his shield, trying to get past the illusion. If he was going to defeat Zant, then he was going to have to defeat the illusion of his mother. How could he think to stab a woman who masked the same resemblance as his beloved parent? He could do anything to save Hyrule. He could accept the fact that cousin Zelda had to sacrifice herself, and he could accept the fact that he had to defeat his best friend, Midna, to save Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. Those were both completely precious people to him, but this was his mother- or at least it looked like her. He had searched far and wide for her and had always dawned about her existence since birth. It was obvious that this woman wasn't the real thing, but she was close enough to being one. The warm embrace that he felt when crying in this illusion's arms was just as real as embracing his real mother. After all of that emotion, he couldn't think to possibly hurt this woman now. It was odd that Zant knew anything about his parents at all, but it wasn't a surprise. After all, Zant was a master of illusions, even though the only thing he ever knew about his mother was her face because of the photograph.

Regardless of who this creature was, Link still had to get up and fight it, if not for the sake of Hyrule, but for himself. He was truly going to die if he didn't face it. That would be absolutely degrading to hold the power of the Triforce and then not even be able to defeat such a creature of low standards. Filled with rage and determination, Link forced himself up to his feet against the heavy impacts of the burning flames that smacked themselves against his shield. With one weighty step at a time, Link began to trudge towards the enemy. In between each push back from a speeding bullet, Link was able to take two steps forward. He was determined to defeat Zant. That demon made a mistake fooling with Link's emotions like that. He made a mistake deciding to even mess with Hyrule, or anything that was embodied in it. Zant was a fool, period, and he was about to meet a dire fate for deciding to cause such a ruckus.

As Link finally neared the creature, Zant suddenly stopped shooting the balls of fire as if coming to the realization that he was losing. The hero lifted his sword high above his head and moved the shield out of the way to get a better aim at the target, ready to strike that fiend right in between the eyes. But as he noticed the look on the woman's face cowering and whimpering in fear, the horror in her eyes, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't bring himself to hurt her. He knew that wasn't his mother, but it looked so real. Link held her gaze and he could feel himself becoming weak. He wanted to fight, but he couldn't fight Zant like this; not as long as he was in the shape of his mother. Link lowered his weapons and took a small step back. His heart was racing at a rapid pace and his breathing had fallen heavy. He turned to look down at the ground, not wanting to look at her fearful expression any longer.

Zant glared at the boy and cast a mischievous smile. "You're too easy," he mocked through the woman's voice. With a lift of her hand, she snapped her fingers and all of a sudden, all sorts of enemies started to crawl through the windows and the doors, a majority of the monsters being that of shadow beasts. Link looked all around himself as they swarmed in while roaring and screeching and thrashing their claws and teeth in the air. They all stood around Zant and Link in a wide circle, ready to rip the unfortunate hero apart. They waited patiently for Zant's command, quieting down once noticing the wave of the woman's hands. "Hero chosen by the gods… They say you're courageous, fearless. My, my, I might have to disagree. Had you been so brave, wouldn't you have stabbed your dear old mother in the chest for the sake of Hyrule?" Her grin became wider and filled with more malice as her gaze darkened. "I'm going to offer you a choice. Either you can attempt to kill me right now, or you can fight all of these wonderful beasts that I have summoned up for you. That, or you can surrender right now and maybe I'll let you live."

Link took a deep breath and glared at the enemy. This was all some hideous mind game. Zant was only toying with him. Link couldn't dare to strike at a woman like that. It wasn't fair. But he definitely wouldn't surrender. That would be idiotic. So the only thing left to do was to fight until his last breath. Link would be able to easily defeat all of these monsters, but Zant would be able to summon more and more until the hero grew tired. Without any energy left, he'd be torn to shreds. There was no winning this. The only way to even think about going by this was to kill Zant at that very moment. Link closed his eyes and tried to imagine Zant standing in front of him in his own flesh and bones, but when Link opened his eyes the image was all the same of his mother. It was no use. Link wouldn't be able to fight Zant this way.

Zant threw his head back and cackled wildly. "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it! It's amazing at how easy you're able to chop up all of your friends and leave your poor dying companions behind, but you can't even raise your sword in defense against an illusion! Humans are such strange creatures indeed." He went on for a few moments, caught up in his laughter. Link only stared and sulked in his own downfall. Once Zant was finished, he looked back down at Link with the mother's foul eyes. "Don't go easy on him," the master said to his servants. And with that, he turned away and walked through the crowd of monsters, pushing his way into the back.

Link's eyebrows creased into frustration as the monsters drew near, screaming out in amusement as they flailed their arms about. One shadow beast was about an inch away from swiping at the hero before he caught snap and jumped out of the way, but dodging only resulted in backing into another enemy. He quickly sliced it across its chest and it cried out in pain and agony. Link suddenly felt something hit him hard against his stomach and he was thrown back into a different enemy. Link stabbed it before it could get to him, and soon enough he found himself violently hacking away at the aggressive beasts, chopping off one limb at a time. But these actions didn't cause the monsters to cease their maleficent attacks. They ripped and tore at the poor hero's clothes and beat and thrashed and shoved at his body. Link did all that he could to defend himself, slicing away and hitting them with his shield, but their numbers were too much and they just kept coming. Now would have been a good time to use a bomb, but they were all gone.

Time hadn't passed long, and Link was already growing beyond weary from having to protect himself. He was sleepy from all the constant travel and now his leg was pulsing with pain and he was losing a lot of blood. All of the creatures were attacking him and creating new injuries and bruises. The hero wouldn't be able to fight any longer. As much as it pained him to do so, he was going to have to stab Zant with the disguise he held, or else the hero would surely die. His eyes looked through the crowd in search of the enemy, scanning to see where he was standing. And he could barely see his mother's figure standing in the doorway with her arms proudly crossed. Link had to get to her. There was no use in playing around like this any longer. The mark of the Triforce began to glow on his hand, renewing him with holy strength and energy. Link let out a mighty roar and began to slash and slice his way through the enemies that got into his way. They beat at his ribs and he yelled out in pain, but that didn't stop him from stampeding forward. Whether he was blasted with fire or gnawed on by teeth, he moved forward. He had to stop Zant, or else Hyrule would face the terrible wrath he was facing now. He didn't want his people to suffer like he was. They had suffered enough.

Link managed to move his way to the end of the crowd, now weaker than ever yet strong with the power of the Triforce. All he had to do was kill Zant and everything would disappear. All of the monsters would cease to exist. Link limped a run towards Zant who stood patiently waiting with a devious smirk. The woman's eyes suddenly didn't look so vicious, but they became more sincere along with a matching smile. She held out her arms to warmly embrace the hero, throwing Link off guard. He came to a sudden halt, staring at her in confusion. All of the monsters stopped behind him as well, staring and waiting for another instruction. The mother barely parted her lips into a sweet smile, beckoning for the hero to move forward. "Come, Link. It's not too late to give all of this up. You can still live with me."

Link narrowed his eyes, knowing he was soon to fall into another trap. Staring at the beautiful complexion of his mother made it all the more difficult to kill her. He couldn't help but to slowly inch forward, lowering his weapons like he had done before. He stopped in front of her and looked down at Zant disguised as the woman most precious to him. She wasn't real, and if Zant had bothered to make a copy of his father then he wouldn't be real either. It was useless to believe this was a reality. His real parents were out there somewhere, maybe still searching for him. Zant was only mocking his family, and it was time to bring it all to an end. Zant didn't seem to believe that Link would actually strike him, but when the hero lifted his sword to strike her, Zant's womanly eyes widened and he took a step backwards in disbelief. Without thinking, the enemy only turned around and began to run away in fear. On his way out as he raced down the stairs, the demon commanded his beasts to attack at the hero, and they suddenly came in a hoard after the two. Link didn't look back, however. He was focused on the womanly figure in front of him. That was all he had to kill in order to win this battle. It would be painful to watch her die as if he was stabbing his own mother, but this was the only way to win.

As if all in slow motion, Link leapt from the stairs and threw his shield behind himself. He grabbed onto the handle of the sword with both of his hands and aimed the blade downwards. The mark of the Triforce vibrantly lit up on his hands more than ever before. His clothes whipped against the fast wind as he plummeted towards the unaware Zant. Link let out a dominant yell as he landed on the woman's backside and thrust the blade in between her shoulder blades. A haunting shriek of pain escaped the woman's lips, making the hero shutter in sorrow. However, the body immediately faded away and revealed the body of Zant's true form. Link quickly moved away with his blade in hand as Zant thrashed and flailed his limbs about, having a seizure in the midst of his dying and wild screaming. All at once, Zant froze on the floor and turned his demonic head to look at Link. And in a moment's notice, the beast began to glow brighter and brighter until he exploded into a bright ray of light. The shine was so bright that Link had to cover his eyes and take a step back. The sounds of the demons crying behind him echoed into the sky until everything eventually died down. They had exploded one by one, and now there was nothing left.

All that was left was silence and the soothing breeze of the wind. Link had won. All it took was determination. It was as easy as that. But even in the uprising of his glory, Link covered his face in shame, absolutely terrified at what he had done. Of course it wasn't his real mother, but the experience was all the same. It made his heart ache, but it was all for the best and he had to realize it. It would take some time to get over such a traumatic scene, but he'd get over it in due time. He only wished that he would never experience such horrors again.

And with that in mind, he lifted his eyes away from his hand and looked up over at Hyrule. This was the place he was to rule over for the remainder of his life. The moon's light granted the land a beautiful shine of blue. Much destruction was caused, so it would take a while to rebuild it. If anything, the greatest loss suffered was all the lives lost in Zant's malicious reign. Link would have to spend extra time and care when helping those in need. Especially his village of Ordon. Those were his people whom he cared deeply about. Many of his precious friends died in these tragic events, so Link would do all that he could to help them. Especially Rusl and Ilia. They had gone through so much all because of Link's burden. They worked hard to protect their village and the ones they loved and they had went through so much torment on Link's behalf and it almost wasn't fair. Link hoped they were doing well. As soon as he finished up his duties as king, he would be sure to go see if they were alright and he would offer any help to them that he could.

* * *

Several months passed since the incident. Link had learned all there was to know about ruling over a kingdom, not to mention that he was entitled to reside over both Hyrule and the Twilight Realm. All was peaceful in both worlds, and everyone recognized him to be the king. They treated him with the utmost respect just like they did to Princess Zelda when she was alive. During Link's time as king, he was able to easily rebuild the kingdom and bring back to good health many of his people. He even went and paid a visit to the people of Ordon and Kakariko once in a while and he was able to help them rebuild their village too. Rusl was doing well now and held no hard feelings, and Ilia was more than merry as ever. Emmaus and Natal of their humble abode in Lake Hylia were doing fine, and they gave Link many more photographs of his mother _and_ a few of his father as well. Even Rusl managed to find a little family photo of Link and his parents, which rested on the castle's walls. Everything Link had done for his friends could never add up to what they had done for Link. The hero was truly appreciative of their kindness.

Link never found his parents, or at least not yet. No one gave hints of where they could possibly be. Link looked all around Hyrule for them, but the hero came to the conclusion that they had run off into a different part of the world. He had no idea where, and it pained him to think that way. Link couldn't afford to travel too far away from the kingdom, so he could never dream to further his search. To make up for that loss, he had grown awfully close to his aunt. They talked about everything together; their past, what they would like to see in their future, everything. They found that they had many things in common, and Link was warmhearted by all of this. It was a shame that they had missed out on so many years of each other's lives, but at least they were finally catching up. It would have been nice for Zelda to still have been around to enjoy it, and his parents as well, but he couldn't change the past.

Even now as Link and his aunt sat together in the garden, reminiscing in their untold paths, the Queen couldn't help but feel guilty about something, or so the hero noticed. By her odd nature, she seemed extremely uncomfortable. The Queen noticed that he was staring at her strangely, so she took a deep breath and finally decided to come to a certain confession. "Link, I know you've been searching for your parents. You've looked for an extremely long time, and it pains me to watch. I must be honest with you … They're still here in the castle. They haven't left this sanctuary since you were born. They fought here against Ganon when you were only a little baby, when they had to give you up, and they've been here waiting for your return ever since. I'm… sure they're proud of you, and I know they would love to see you. Please, Link, follow me and I'll show them to you." And with that, she stood from the table and began to make her exit.

Link's eyes lit up with enthusiasm. This was his entire reason why he ventured out of the village in the first place. Link immediately rose to his feet and began to closely trail behind, beyond excited at what he was about to see. He occasionally peeked over the short woman's shoulder, hoping to see either his mother or his father in front of him, but no one was ever there. The traveling seemed to take forever as they crossed through the interior of the castle through numerous corridors and hallways. The world seemed so small all of a sudden; the ceilings and the walls felt like they were caving in on him. Maybe he was nervous about meeting them. What if they didn't like him or something terrible like that? But of course they were sure to love him. He was their son, after all. But if they loved him so much, then wouldn't they have gone out in search of him? Or maybe they were paralyzed during their battle with Ganondorf. No matter what happened, Link was sure to love and care for them.

As the two approached a door, the Queen suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Link. "Please do not be discouraged by their appearance," she sorrowfully spoke with her voice low. She reached a fragile hand out and stroked the hero's smiling cheek, then she turned down to the doorknob and turned it, opening the entrance to the outside of the castle. The light of the sun painted this garden in a sea of gold, decorating the delicacy with its rays. However, this wasn't much of a garden at all. The only things within these walls were… two headstones. This wasn't a garden. It was a graveyard. A cold, small graveyard filled with warm light.

It was obvious. Link didn't even have to ask. They were under there, buried six feet in the ground. That's why no one ever knew of their location. They were here the entire time, enjoying their sleep. They fought hard and brave, so hard and brave that it resulted in a tragic death. It was all for the sake of Hyrule and for the safety of their son. They would never be able to watch their little boy grow up into a strong young man. They would never watch him become the fearsome warrior. They would never realize all of what he had done for Hyrule. They sacrificed themselves for Hyrule only for Ganon to rise up again and for Link to have to defeat him once and for all. It was a shame that they had died, but they did it for the love of Hyrule, and Link had to realize that. He came to that conclusion as he walked towards their graves. The door behind him closed, and he knew that the Queen had left him alone to be with his parents. He kneeled down by their graves and gently placed his hands on the stones, touching them as if they were still alive.

This was what he had been looking for the entire time. This is what he put his life on the line for. A couple of gravestones and some tears. It seemed like everyone he had ever come into contact with suffered a great and terrible loss, but that was just how life went. He wished his parents could have been there to see all his accomplishments. Link wished he could have seen theirs. He would have loved to grow up with them and talk with them and love them, but he wasn't as fortunate as everyone else. But what he _was_ fortunate for was his parents' determination. If it wasn't for the risk of their life to save Link, he wouldn't have been here. It was because of them that he was alive and still breathing, and he thanked them deeply for that. He thanked them for saving all of Hyrule and protecting it and raising it and bringing it back to prosperity. They were good people, and now Link knew exactly what kind of people they were, and now he knew exactly where he came from as well. He came from a line of good hearted and loyal people of Hyrule, and he couldn't have been happier. It only made him cherish them all the more.

The sun was nearly setting. It was time for him to head back inside. He had lost track of the time that he had spent just sitting down and talking to the gravestones, telling his parents about all that he had been through and of his adventure. It wasn't like the real thing, but it was close enough; he knew they were merrily listening to his tales. Link tightly squeezed the tops of the headstones one last time with his hand before wiping away his joyous falling tears. He stood up and turned away from them, making his way to the door. He would be sure to visit them tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. He would visit them every day until his final breath. Despite that he was still alive and had duties to abide by in both kingdoms, reuniting with his parents was his dream. He couldn't wait to truly be with them one day in the Sacred Realm.

* * *

**I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. I actually forgot about it for a while. Oops!**

**It's safe to say that this story has finally come to an end. There were originally going to be two chapters left, but it was short enough that I could merge the fight scene and the epilogue into one. Thank you for keeping up with my story. I've really appreciated all of your sweet reviews and follows and favorites. Thanks so much!:)**


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